Firefighters transfer stranded residents in Longgang District of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, Sept 7, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING — China's National Meteorological Center on Tuesday issued a blue alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours are expected to lash multiple regions of the country.

From 8 pm Tuesday to 8 pm Wednesday, heavy downpours and rainstorms are forecast to hit regions such as Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Yunnan, according to the center.

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Parts of the affected regions are forecast to experience heavy rainfall with a maximum hourly precipitation of over 70 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales, the center said.

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