China rainstorms to bring more misery to earthquake victims

Rain has compounded problems in Jiuzhaigou County in southwest Sichuan Province and Jinghe County in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in northwest Xinjiang, China's national weather observatory said Friday.

From Friday to Saturday, heavy rain is expected in parts of both places, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The rain is expected to stop on Sunday.

Rescue work is ongoing after the earthquakes on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, leaving at least 20 dead and hundreds injured.

The NMC also issued a blue alert for storms on Friday as in many parts of the country in the next two days.

Some regions may see thunderstorms and gales, said the NMC.

The center warned local residents to reduce outdoor activities and take precautions against strong winds, flooding and geological disasters.

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