Alert maintained for central, east China heat

Vegetable growers are seen in a dried-up field in Shaoxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 12, 2013. The highest temperature in Shaoxing reached over 40 degrees Celsius for consecutive days. (Xinhua/Li Ruichang)

China's top meteorological authority on Tuesday continued to warn of prolonged heat that has afflicted central and eastern China since July.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) announced an orange alert for the heat wave on Tuesday, marking the 20th straight day such an alert has been issued. Orange represents a level-two warning in the nation's three-tiered color-coded alert system for high temperatures.

The NMC forecast eastern regions including Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, and central regions including Hubei and Hunan provinces will see a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius during daytime on Tuesday.

Guizhou and Chongqing in southwest China and some spots in the north will also experience at least 35 degrees during the day, according to the NMC. But it forecast the intensity of the heat and the regions it affects will gradually dwindle over the next three days.

In contrast, rain of medium to heavy strength will continue battering northeastern regions over the next three days, with some areas expecting heavy rainstorms, the NMC forecast.

Torrential rain hit large parts of northeast China on Monday. Precipitation in Heilongjiang Province hit as high as 14 cm in some areas.

The NMC also forecast that Utor, the 11th typhoon to hit China this year, will gather more strength on its course and make landfall in coastal regions of Guangdong and Hainan provinces on Wednesday night.