Hato, the 13th typhoon this year, is moving towards China's southeast coast, as people in the region were ordered to leave fish farms and moor boats Monday.
As of 2 p.m. Monday, the eye of the typhoon was located in the northwestern Pacific, packing maximum winds of 20 meters per second, according to the meteorological bureau of Guangdong Province.
The typhoon is expected to gain strength as it is moves northwest at a speed of 20 kph. It may make landfall on the Guangdong coast Wednesday morning, the bureau said.
The meteorological bureau of neighboring Fujian Province earlier forecast that Hato was likely to hit near its border with Guangdong.
The State Oceanic Administration issued a yellow alert for ocean waves at 4 p.m. Monday, saying that waves of up to six meters are expected near Bashi Strait and in the northeast part of the South China Sea. Waves along some of Guangdong's eastern coast will also surge to 2.5 meters high, it said.
Heavy rain will begin pounding eastern areas of Guangdong Tuesday night and will continue through to Thursday, the meteorological bureau forecast.
In both Fujian and Guangdong, workers have been ordered to leave fish farms and fishing boats have been told to return to harbor.
In Fujian, tourist attractions and construction sites to the south of Fuzhou will be closed on Tuesday.
