BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's national weather observatory issued a yellow alert for rainstorms on Wednesday as heavy rain is expected in most of north China and some areas in the south over the next 24 hours.
From Wednesday to Thursday, heavy rain is expected in parts of Shandong, Tianjin, Beijing, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
Precipitation will reach up to 180 millimeters in northwestern and southeastern Shandong, northeastern Hebei and western Liaoning, said the NMC.
Some areas in northeastern Hubei, southwestern Anhui, northeastern Jiangxi, southern Yunnan, southeastern Guangxi and southwestern Guangdong will see scattered heavy rain, the NMC said.
The center warned local authorities to reduce outdoor activities and take precautions against flooding and geological disasters.
After releasing over 1.3 billion yuan (about 194 million U.S.dollars) earlier for emergency assistance in both agricultural and natural disasters, the central government Tuesday allocated another 1 billion yuan to aid regions affected by natural disasters.
Since June 2017, floods and droughts have hit north and south China, with some regions severely affected.
Last week, floods caused by heavy rain destroyed hundreds and damaged thousands of houses in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
According to the Ministry of Finance, over 60 percent of the money will be used for flood control and drought relief, while the rest will be used for restoring agricultural production in disaster-hit areas.
From Aug. 1 to 4, Typhoon Haitang and a cold front are expected to bring downpours to north China.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has launched an emergency response plan and urged local governments to make due preparations.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
