2010-08-09 19:33

BEIJING - More rain will fall in mudslide-devastated Zhouqu county in Northwest China's Gansu province over the next three days, China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast Monday.

A massive mudslide swept through the county early Sunday, killing at least 127 people and injuring 88. An estimated 1,294 people are missing.

The county has suffered thundershowers and torrential rains over the past two days. Located Southeast of Zhouqu county, Tongshan town has received 96.3 mm of precipitation, the MNC said.

The NMC also reiterated a blue alert, the lowest level, for storms and torrential rains expected to hit most parts of Northeastern China over the next 24 hours. The provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Jilin, Heilongjiang and Liaoning will all be affected, as will be the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

China has a four-color rainstorm warning system, with red being the most serious and followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Zheng Guoguang, head of the China Meteorological Administration, urged close monitoring of the weather and timely forecasts to assist the rescue work in Zhouqu county.