China has issued a red alert for torrential rain in Beijing and several surrounding provinces, warning of possible floods and landslides as the country braces for more extreme weather.
The alert, the highest in a four-tier system, was issued by the National Meteorological Center on Saturday and will remain in effect until Monday morning. It covers Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shandong and Henan.
According to the center, some areas could see up to 280 millimeters of rainfall in 24 hours, which could cause flash floods, urban waterlogging, mudslides and rockfalls. The center urged local authorities to take emergency measures to reduce the impact of the heavy rain and ensure the safety of people and property.
The red alert comes after weeks of devastating floods that have killed more than 300 people and displaced millions across central and eastern China. The worst-hit province of Henan saw a record-breaking rainfall on July 20 that submerged the provincial capital of Zhengzhou and other cities.
The floods have also damaged crops, infrastructure and cultural relics, causing huge economic losses. The Ministry of Emergency Management estimated that the direct economic losses from the floods reached 116.27 billion yuan ($17.95 billion) as of Friday.
China’s President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to rescue and relocate flood victims, restore normal production and life order, and strengthen flood prevention and disaster relief work.
Meanwhile, China is also facing other weather challenges, such as high temperatures, droughts and typhoons. The country’s meteorological authority said that the extreme weather events are related to global climate change and urged the public to pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings.