China's national observatory on Monday renewed an orange alert for rainstorms, warning that heavy rainfall will impact vast regions across the country.
From 2 pm Monday to 2 pm Tuesday, torrential rain will sweep parts of Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Henan, Shandong, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Fujian, Yunnan and Taiwan, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
Places in Hebei, Guangxi, Guangdong and the eastern coastal provinces are forecast to receive up to 350 mm of rainfall. Some areas may face intense short-term downpours reaching 80 mm per hour, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.
READ MORE: Flood relief efforts stepped up in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei
The meteorological center has urged local governments to make necessary preparations, inspect drainage systems in cities and farmlands, and remain vigilant against potential mountain torrents, landslides and debris flows.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Beijing suburban rail network suspension
Beijing's suburban rail network suspended multiple lines on Monday as authorities upgraded its rainfall warnings to red alert, the highest level, for five districts facing potentially heavy rains in the afternoon.
The Beijing Suburban Railway announced cancellations affecting three routes: S2 Line, Tongzhou-Miyun Line, and Huairou-Miyun Line, with 22 trains temporarily canceled.
Residents in affected districts are urged to choose other means of transportation, the statement from the company added.
READ MORE: Beijing issues rainstorm, flood alerts amid heavy downpours
The move comes as the Beijing Meteorological Service activated red rainfall alerts for Mentougou, Fangshan, Fengtai, Shijingshan, and Huairou districts.
Over 150 mm rainfall is expected in these districts starting at noon on Monday, triggering an extremely high risk of floods in mountainous regions and mudslides, landslides, and severe urban waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Taiwan heavy rains
Continuous heavy rainfall over the past week has severely impacted several areas in central and southern Taiwan, leaving four dead, 74 injured, and three missing as of Sunday evening, according to the island's fire department.
READ MORE: Typhoon Danas lands in Taiwan, 2 dead, hundreds injured
On Sunday, a total of 108 monitoring stations across Taiwan recorded a daily precipitation of over 200 millimeters. A site in Kaohsiung reported a weekly cumulative rainfall of 2,759 millimeters, surpassing the island's annual average volume of 2,500 millimeters.
The island's emergency operations center said on Sunday that 5,795 people have been evacuated so far, and a total of 140 instances of road and tunnel closures and 124 cases of falling rocks have been reported. Power outages have affected hundreds of households, while multiple regions have issued red alerts for landslides.
The meteorological department has forecast that heavy downpours may continue in the central and southern parts of the island on Monday. In response, work and classes have been suspended in multiple cities, including Kaohsiung, Tainan and Pingtung.
