China issues storm alert

China's meteorological authority today issued a blue alert, the lowest in a four-tier warning system, for rainstorms in the country's southern region.

From Saturday to Sunday, storms bringing 50 to 120 millimetres 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-storms from today afternoon to Sunday, the NMC said.

People affected by the rainstorms should take precautions against possible water-logging and floods, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

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