Nangka, the fourth tropical storm of the year, was forecast to make landfall in coastal areas of southeast China on Friday night or Saturday, the National Meteorological Center said on Thursday.

The eye of Nangka was located at 16.45 degrees north and 118.10 degrees east as of 4:00 PM on Thursday, and in the east of South China Sea, packing winds of up to 72 kilometers per hour.

It was continuing to move northwest at 15-20 km per hour and was approaching the southern coastal areas of southeast China's Fujian Province and neighboring Guangdong Province, the center said.

The storm would bring torrential rain and strong wind to the two provinces, it said.

Observatories and flood control authorities in Fujian and Guangdong reminded local residents Thursday to pay attention to weather forecasts and guard against flash floods and landslides that might be triggered by the storm.

The third tropical storm of this year, Linfa, left one dead and another six missing in China after making landfall in Fujian Sunday night.

(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2009)