BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- China's meteorological authorities on Sunday issued a yellow alert for heavy rains in the country's southern regions and activated a grade-IV emergency response.

Rainstorm is expected to hit parts of Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang and Tibet over the next few days, with precipitation up to 180 mm in some areas, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.

This round of rain is characterized by wide coverage and long duration, He Lifu, chief meteorologist with NMC said.

He expects the torrential rain will draw to an end next Thursday, while advising the public to keep alert to possible flooding, waterlogging and avoid visits to mountainous areas over the next few days.

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

The China Meteorological Administration on Sunday also issued a grade-IV response for the upcoming rains. The grade-IV response, the lowest in China's emergency response system, means a 24-hour alert, daily damage reports, and the allocation of money and relief materials within 48 hours.