Update: Northern China issues alerts for rainstorms, flooding

BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Northern regions of China, including Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia, have issued red alerts for rainstorms as intense rains persist, causing rivers to swell and posing threats of farmland waterlogging and mountain torrents.

Heavy rainfall is expected from Thursday to Saturday in parts of the Songhua River and Liaohe River basins, including their tributaries, likely causing significant water level rises in multiple rivers across the affected regions, according to the Songhua-Liaohe water resources commission under the Ministry of Water Resources.

Authorities overseeing the flood-control work for the two rivers have activated Level-IV emergency responses for flood prevention and control, urging particular attention paid to the safety of small reservoirs as well as the prevention of mountain torrents.

According to the Heilongjiang Meteorological Observatory, some townships of the Mongolian Autonomous County of Dorbod could receive accumulated precipitation of up to 100 millimeters within three hours.

Inner Mongolia has also issued red alert for mountain torrents. At 8:20 p.m. Friday, regional meteorological authorities forecasted that most parts of the region would experience rainfall of over 100 millimeters within the following three hours, and that conditions could persist in areas that had already seen such rainfall.

The possibility of mountain torrents will be very high from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Saturday in certain areas, including several districts and counties of the regional capital, Hohhot, and the border city of Ulanqab.

Early on Friday morning, the water resources department and meteorological administration in northeast China's Jilin Province jointly issued an orange alert, indicating a high likelihood of flood disasters, including river flooding and farmland waterlogging, over the next 24 hours in the southwestern region of Changchun, capital of Jilin, and in the central-western areas of Siping City.

A yellow alert for flood disaster risks was issued later, covering central Changchun and northern part of Jilin City. Local authorities have been urged to strengthen preventive measures, promptly activate emergency response plans, and ensure public safety.

China has a four-tier weather warning system -- with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Local weather authorities in these regions have advised all relevant departments to implement emergency flood prevention and disaster response measures including the timely evacuation of personnel from high-risk areas. ■