BEIJING • China's weather observatory yesterday issued a yellow alert for rainstorms as heavy rain was expected in most of north China and some areas in the south over the next 24 hours.

The National Meteorological Centre has warned the local authorities to reduce outdoor activities and take precautions against flooding and geological disasters.

After releasing over 1.3 billion yuan (S$262.6 million) earlier for emergency assistance in both agricultural and natural disasters, the central government on Tuesday allocated another one billion yuan to aid areas hit by natural disasters.

The Ministry of Finance said over 60 per cent of the money will be used for flood control and drought relief, while the rest will be used for restoring agricultural production in disaster-hit areas.

Floods and droughts have hit north and south China since June. Last week, floods destroyed hundreds and damaged thousands of houses in north-west Shaanxi province. Typhoon Haitang and a cold front are expected to bring downpours to north China till tomorrow.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has launched an emergency response plan. China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system, with red the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

XINHUA