Update: China's Zhangjiajie scenic area closes temporarily due to heavy rainfall

CHANGSHA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The Wulingyuan scenic area of Zhangjiajie, situated in central China's Hunan Province, will suspend operations on Friday due to heavy rainfall -- the first weather-related closure in its history, the scenic area's administration has said.

The average rainfall across Zhangjiajie City was 200.9 millimeters from 8:00 a.m. Wednesday to 4:00 p.m. Thursday, according to the Hunan Meteorological Bureau.

Since Wednesday night, rainstorms to torrential rains have battered Zhangjiajie, the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Changde, Huaihua, Yiyang and Shaoyang in Hunan Province, with some areas experiencing extreme downpours. Notably, four townships in the Sangzhi and Longshan counties have recorded precipitation exceeding 400 millimeters.

The provincial meteorological bureau elevated its emergency response measures for meteorological disasters resulting from rainstorms from Level III to Level II at 6:00 p.m. Thursday.

The provincial emergency management commission also issued a notice on Thursday evening, deciding to elevate its flood control emergency response from Level IV to Level III starting at 9:00 p.m. Thursday. Key areas for current flood control and disaster relief include Zhangjiajie, Changde, the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, and Huaihua.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The national emergency response system also has four tiers, with Level I being the highest. ■