China's national observatory on Saturday issued a yellow alert for Typhoon Wipha as the sixth typhoon of the year is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the southern coastal regions of the country.
The typhoon, observed at 19.9 degrees north latitude and 120.2 degrees east longitude at 5am on Saturday, is moving northwestwards at a speed of 15 to 20 kilometres per hour, according to the National Meteorological Center.
It is expected to make landfall along the coastal areas from Shenzhen to Wenchang on Hainan during the afternoon or evening on Sunday, the meteorological center said.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for typhoons, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow, and blue. (Xinhua)