The national observatory issued an orange alert on Friday, the second-highest in its four-tier system, for Noul, the 12th typhoon of the year, as it forms and heads towards the nation's southeastern coast.

At 5am on Friday, the centre of Typhoon Noul was located about 560 kilometres in waters northeast of Manila.

It is forecast to move west by north at a speed of 25-30 km per hour, according to the National Meteorological Centre.

Landfall is expected along the coast from Zhuhai in Guangdong to Zhangpu in Fujian on Saturday night through Sunday morning, after which it will turn northward and gradually weaken in intensity.

From 8am on Friday to 8am on Saturday, heavy to torrential rainfall is expected in parts of eastern and southern Taiwan Island.

Meanwhile, strong winds are expected in the northeastern part of the South China Sea, the Bashi Channel, the sea areas east of Taiwan, the Taiwan Strait, the southern part of the East China Sea, as well as coastal areas of Taiwan, Fujian and the central and eastern parts of Guangdong.

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)





Edited by Azam Khan