BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Friday launched a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters.

From Friday to Sunday, multiple northern regions are expected to experience strong winds and sandstorms, said the China Meteorological Administration, while activating a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters related to strong winds and sandstorms.

On Friday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued yellow warnings for strong winds and sandstorms along with a blue alert for a cold wave.

Strong winds are expected in areas including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, as well as north China, the northeast, and the Shandong Peninsula, according to the NMC.

Due to strong winds, the aforementioned regions and northern Henan are likely to witness blowing sand or floating dust, with some areas experiencing sandstorms or heavy sandstorms.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The emergency response system also has four tiers, with Level I being the most severe. ■