Cold wave sweeps across north China, yellow alert renewed

With plummeting temperatures and chilly winds blowing, many regions in north China ushered in a new wave of cold weather this week.

China's meteorological authorities renewed a yellow alert for cold weather Thursday morning, forecasting sharp drops in temperature and gales in some parts of the country.

From Wednesday to Friday, temperatures are expected to drop by 12 to 16 degrees Celsius in parts of north China, including Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia, and the northeast region, according to the National Meteorological Center.

The Chinese capital Beijing faced a plunge in temperature on Thursday, with strong winds expected from the morning to 10 pm, said Beijing meteorological authorities.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Management on Wednesday called on all districts to prepare for safe operation and prompt emergency response for the heating supply during the cold wave.

Jilin Province in northeast China activated a level-IV emergency response to sleet, snow and a cold wave at 3:50 pm on Tuesday. In the capital city Changchun, the heating suppliers have implemented emergency measures and organized 10 emergency teams with 180 people on standby around the clock.

On Wednesday, Hebei Province also issued alerts for both the cold wave and strong winds. In response to the cold snap, vegetable production bases in Hebei have taken measures to prevent and reduce damage to ensure the stable production and supply of vegetables.