BEIJING -- China's National Meteorological Center on Saturday renewed its blue alert for rainstorms in various parts of the country and called for taking precautionary measures.

From 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday, heavy rain is expected to lash parts of Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan and Shandong, with some areas experiencing up to 120 mm of rainfall, according to the center.

Some of the aforementioned regions are likely to encounter over 70 mm of hourly precipitation accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The center has advised local governments to make preparations for the rainstorms. Schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children and drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams.

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