Heavy rainfall that hit the Sichuan Basin and surrounding areas in western China on Friday is forecast to persist through Monday, according to the China Meteorological Administration.
The persistent heavy rainfall has increased the risk of rain-triggered floods and mountain torrents in parts of southwest China's Sichuan Province. The Sichuan Provincial Department of Water Resources on Thursday afternoon upgraded its emergency response for flood control from Level IV to Level III, while the province's meteorological service issued a yellow alert for rainstorms. Meanwhile, the provincial department of natural resources simultaneously issued a yellow alert for geological disasters.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The emergency response system and flood-control emergency response system also have four tiers, with Level I being the most severe.
Forecasts show the rainfall will persist through around Monday, with heavy downpours expected in cities including Guangyuan, Mianyang, Deyang, Chengdu and Meishan, and even more intense rain in some localized areas.
Emergency flood control preparations and evacuation readiness have been put in place across the affected regions.
To ease the strain on flood defenses, the Wudu Reservoir on the Fujiang River upstream of Mianyang City opened two floodgates on Thursday afternoon, adjusting outflows to free up more storage capacity.
In the northwestern province of Shaanxi, heavy rains triggered by severe convective weather also pounded the provincial capital Xi'an, prompting local meteorological authorities to issue a red rainstorm alert.
In the city's southern suburbs, intense downpours left standing water on roads and under overpasses. All major valleys along the Qinling Mountains have been closed to visitors as a precaution.
Meanwhile, parts of northwest China's Gansu Province have endured several consecutive days of heavy rainfall. From Tuesday evening through Wednesday, water levels in the Dang River, which flows through the city of Dunhuang, surged rapidly, with floodwaters briefly spilling over discharge channels.
Local authorities have taken emergency measures including releasing water from reservoirs in advance to create buffer capacity. Floodwaters have since receded gradually, and as of Friday afternoon, cleanup efforts in inundated areas have been completed, with all major urban roads restored to normal traffic.
Heavy rains to lash parts of China for days
