A mountain flood that occurred on Saturday night in Urad Rear Banner, Bayannuur, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has resulted in the deaths of eight people, with another four missing, local authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The flash flood struck at around 10 pm on Saturday in the upper reaches of a river, resulting in 13 people who were camping in the wild area losing contact, Xinhua News Agency reported.

ALSO READ: HKO says T1 signal to stay at least until 8 pm Sunday

As of 10 am on Sunday, one survivor had been rescued, with eight people found dead. Rescue teams are continuing the search for the remaining four missing individuals.

Blue alert for rainstorms

China's national observatory renewed a blue alert for rainstorms on Sunday, warning of downpours in multiple regions of the country.

From 8:00 am Sunday to 8:00 am Monday, heavy rain and rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Qinghai, Guangxi and Guangdong, the National Meteorological Center said.

Some areas may experience brief but intense precipitation with hourly rainfall potentially exceeding 70 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, the center said.

READ MORE: HK cancels T1 signal, issues amber rainstorm alert as Podul departs

It has issued safety guidelines, urging local authorities to prepare for the rainstorms, schools and kindergartens to ensure the safety of students, drivers to be cautious of waterlogged roads and traffic congestion, and relevant agencies to inspect drainage systems in cities, farmlands and fish ponds.

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

with Xinhua inputs