BEIJING — Chinese authorities on Aug 23 launched a Level-IV emergency response for a relatively serious drought in Central China's Hubei province.

China has a four-level emergency response system for disaster relief, with Level IV being the lowest and Level I the highest.

The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management also sent a work team to offer guidance and support in relief work for the locals affected by the natural disaster.

China's national observatory on Aug 23 renewed an orange alert for drought, the second most severe warning of the country's four-tier weather warning system.

The majority of regions in Hubei have been affected by moderate to severe drought, according to the National Meteorological Center.