China issues storm alert

BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authority on Saturday issued a blue alert, the lowest in a four-tier warning system, for rainstorms in the country's south.

From Saturday to Sunday, storms bringing 50 to 120 millimeters of rain will pelt parts of Hubei, Guizhou, Anhui, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

Parts of Guizhou, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui will be hit by thunderstorms or hail from Saturday afternoon to Sunday, the NMC said.

People affected by the rainstorms should take precautions against possible waterlogging and floods.

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