|
SHIJIAZHUANG, July 24 (Xinhua) -- North China's Hebei Province on Sunday issued a blue alert for rain.
Most cities in Hebei, including Xingtai which has already suffered severe flooding, are forecast to see heavy rain from Sunday night to Monday, according to the provincial meteorological center.
The Taihang and Yanshan Mountains face high risks of flash floods and landslides.
China has a four-tier color-coded system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Rain and floods have left 114 people dead and 111 others are missing in the province. Nearly 310,000 people have been evacuated.
Four officials in Hebei have been suspended from their posts for their poor response to the floods. They include two Communist Party of China officials in Xingtai city, the chief engineer of Shijiazhuang municipal bureau of transport, and a deputy head of Jingxing County.
They will be subjected to investigation and could face further punishment.
The mayor of Xingtai apologized Saturday night for the inadequate response to storms that have caused at least 25 deaths in the city.
