Higos, the 17th tropical storm of the year, landed in China's southernmost Hainan Province on Friday evening, local observatory said.

Higos landed at 10:15 PM in Longlou Town, Wenchang City, 19.6 degrees north latitude and 111.0 degrees east longitude. The wind speed at the eye of the storm was 18 meters per second, according to the Hainan Provincial Meteorological Observatory.

It was forecast to weaken and move northwest towards the coastal areas of western Guangdong Province.

In total, 24,115 fishing boats in the province had returned to port and coastal fisheries staff had gone home. All recreational sporting activities on the air or sea were also suspended on Friday, said Lin Mingzhong, Hainan Provincial Office for Flood, Wind and Drought Control deputy director.

He predicted Higos would have minor impact on the island as the rainfall was expected to be around 100 mm. It was likely to affect some small reservoirs as their current water level was high.

Higos was formed on Tuesday in the Pacific Ocean, coming on the heels of tropical storms Jangmi and Hagupit, which combined had killed about 20 people in China.

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2008)