China's national observatory on Sunday renewed a blue alert for sandstorms in the northwestern parts of the country.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, drifting sand and dust are expected to blow across parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Some areas in Xinjiang will even experience strong sandstorms, the center said.

People have been advised to take precautions against wind and sandstorms, according to the center.

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