Heavy downpours continue to batter west China

BEIJING - The heavy downpours seen in southwest China's Sichuan Basin and some areas in northwest are set to intensify, posing further threats to those regions that are already reeling from rain-triggered disasters, the country's meteorological authorities forecast Sunday.

Heavy rainstorms will sweep the Sichuan Basin, some areas in northwest China's provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi, regions along the Yellow and Huai rivers, as well as those between the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers in the coming three days, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Certain areas in northwest Sichuan Basin will see rainstorms with precipitations amounting to 100 mm to 150 mm on Sunday, the center said, urging local residents to be on high alert for rain-triggered accidents.

A total of 58 people died and 175 others went missing due to rainstorm-triggered floods and a landslide from July 7 to 12 in Sichuan, according to local authorities.