China renews blue alert for rainstorms

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China's national weather observatory continued its blue alert for rainstorms on Tuesday, as heavy rain is expected in parts of north China and some areas in the south over the next 24 hours.

Blue alert is the lowest level in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system, red the most severe.

From Tuesday to Wednesday, heavy rain is expected in parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei and Hainan, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Precipitation will reach up to 150 millimeters in some regions, and some of these areas may see thunderstorms and gales.

The road is flooded in Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, July 19, 2017. /VCG Photo

The center warned local residents to reduce outdoor activities and take precautions against strong winds, flooding and geological disasters.

While progress has been made in improving work safety, frequent tragedies still occur. Since late June, heavy rain has struck certain areas in China causing damages in various areas including Jilin Province in northeast and Shanxi Province in north, as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China.

Eighteen people have died and another 18 remain missing after floods in China's northeastern city of Jilin. More than 200,000 people had to be relocated. A 32,360-strong search and rescue team has been deployed in the city to remove the sludge and debris, repair bridges, and reconnect households to telecommunications and electricity networks.

(With inputs from Xinhua)