BEIJING — China's national observatory on Aug 17 continued to issue an orange alert for rainstorms in several provinces and regions.

Workers clear falling rocks from a flooded section on a highway in Youyang Tujia and Miao autonomous county in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality after a rainstorm hit the area, June 13, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua) 

From 2 pm on Aug 17 to 2 pm on Aug 18, torrential rains and rainstorms are expected to lash parts of the Sichuan Basin, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang and Jilin, the National Meteorological Center said.

The center warned that certain western areas of the Sichuan Basin will experience downpours.

According to the forecast, some regions are likely to see over 70 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.

The center advised local authorities to stay vigilant for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides, and suggested halting outdoor activities in disaster-prone areas.

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