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China raises alert as Typhoon Malakas nears

Xinhua, September 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Chinese marine forecasting authorities on Friday upgraded the warning for storms to "orange" as Typhoon Malakas is approaching the east coast of Taiwan.

Malakas, the 16th typhoon in 2016, will hit the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces from Saturday night to Sunday noon, China's National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (CNMEFC) said in a statement.

The typhoon, observed 530 kilometers off Taiwan's east coast at 8 a.m. Friday, was bringing winds of up to 180 km per hour as it moved northwest and is expected to enter the East China Sea soon, the National Meteorological Center said.

Moreover, CNMEFC maintained an orange warning for ocean waves caused by Malakas as it is expected to whip up waves from seven to 11 meters off Taiwan's east coast, southern East China Sea and nearby Diaoyu Islands from Friday to Saturday. Waves up to 2.5 to 3.8 meters are also expected in the coastal regions of southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian, it said.

Coastal regions in Fujian, Guangdong and Shanghai will see storms starting from Saturday and ships operating in related waters were told to stay clear of the area, according to the document.

China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has also activated a level III emergency response to cope with Malakas.

The headquarters urged local authorities in eastern China to take precautions and dispatched five work teams to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as well as Shanghai to prepare for aid and relief.

Typhoon Malakas comes hot on the heels of Typhoon Meranti, which has left at least 14 people dead and another 14 missing in the southeastern regions of China since it landed in Fujian Province Thursday morning.

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