Rains to hit northern grain-growing areas

China's meteorological authority on Monday forecast that strong rain will hit the country's summer grain-growing areas in the north, drought-hit regions in the southwest and regions along the Yangtze river.

Some parts in Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, where summer crops are awaiting harvest, will see moderate and heavy rain and even rainstorms from Monday to Tuesday, the National Meteorological Center said.

On Tuesday, moderate and heavy rain is expected to hit areas in the southwest that have been affected by persistent drought, the center said.

Meanwhile, regions along the Yangtze River, including Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, the Sichuan Basin and Chongqing municipality, will experience rainstorms from Monday to Wednesday, with precipitation reaching up to 180 millimeters, the center said.

Thunderstorms are also likely to hit most parts of north and northeast China from Tuesday to Wednesday, the center said.