Heavy rain to lash middle, lower reaches of Yangtze River during Duanwu Festival

China's national observatory on Friday morning issued a yellow alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours are expected in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River during the ongoing Duanwu Festival holiday.

The three-day public holiday for Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, runs from Friday to Sunday.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) also issued a blue alert for severe convective weather on Friday morning, forecasting frequent rainfall in northeast China, north China and the Huanghuai region.

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

Several parts of China have currently experienced rainstorms and severe convective weather.

Zhongshan Town in south China's Guangdong Province was hit by short-term torrential rain on Thursday.

At Sanxiang County in Zhongshan City, the accumulated rainfall surpassed 230 mm within six hours.

Local authorities activated an emergency response, opening 18 temporary shelters and evacuating 119 residents to safety.

In southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a Level-III flood emergency response was activated after water levels rose in seven major rivers in the area.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.

As temperatures continue to rise, the Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province has entered the peak breeding season for summer migratory birds, with over 10,000 fledgling egrets and herons thriving in the wetlands.

The Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, serves as a crucial stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds.

Each year, more than 200,000 summer migratory birds -- mainly egrets, gray herons, night herons and pond herons -- nest and breed in the lake area, according to local authorities.

"Most of the fledglings have hatched. The earliest batch of egret chicks has already grown up and is now flapping their wings on the branches, learning to fly. In about a month, they will be able to find food on their own. They will also practice flying to prepare for their future long-distance migration," said Tao Duanpei, a park ranger.