Beijing, Jun 22 (IANS): China's National Meteorological Center on Wednesday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in various parts of the country.

From 2 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday, heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Yunnan. Some areas may experience up to 150 mm of rainfall, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some of these regions are also likely to encounter over 60 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The meteorological center has advised local governments to make appropriate preparations and check the drainage systems in cities, farmland, and fishponds.

Schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children, while drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams.

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