China renews orange alert for droughts

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Thursday reissued an orange alert for droughts in parts of the country's southern, eastern and southwestern regions.

Parts of Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi and Chongqing have experienced moderate to severe droughts, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some regions of Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangxi and Hunan have witnessed extreme severe droughts, the center said.

Mild to moderate rains are forecast for some parts of Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Shanghai over the next three days, while heavy rains are expected in Hubei, which would help relieve the droughts, according to the center.

However, most of these drought areas will continue experiencing little rain and drought will persist, it said.

It advised local authorities to utilize emergency water sources and dispatch available water sources within their regions to ensure continued supply, particularly for residents and livestock.

It also suggested promoting strict water conservation measures and producing artificial rainfall when necessary.

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