Typhoon Gaemi made landfall in Fujian province on Thursday night after it swept through Taiwan where it killed three people, triggered floods and sank a freighter.

Gaemi is the biggest typhoon to hit China's eastern seaboard this year, with its spiralling cloud-bands spanning most of the Western Pacific Ocean and fuelling severe weather from the Philippines to Japan's Okinawa islands.

The nation's Transport Ministry had earlier upgraded the typhoon prevention response to level two, the second highest level.

State media said some rail services in Guangzhou were suspended, while Wenzhou in Zhejiang province stopped multiple passenger sailings.

The ministry said it will closely monitor the typhoon, strengthen warning and coordination with other departments, and guide local transport authorities on typhoon prevention and response.

Fujian authorities had relocated 156,800 residents as of 7am on Thursday. (Agencies)