Heavy rain hits northern China

Heavy to torrential rainstorms started to pound north China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province and Inner Mongolia Friday, with rainfall of 100-170 millimeters expected in some regions, said the National Meteorological Center.

The downpours could trigger mountain torrents, swollen rivers, waterlogging and other geological disasters in the following three days, it warned. Hebei’s meteorological authorities renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms Friday, forecasting thunderstorms, and gales at night. China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.