BEIJING: Over two lakh people have been evacuated from China's Fujian and Zhejiang provinces as Talim, the region's 18th typhoon this year, moves rapidly towards the country's southeast coast.
The provincial meteorological department of Fujian forecast that Talim would intensify into a super typhoon with a speed of 180-200 kmph within the next two days.
China's national weather observatory today forecast that Talim would either move northwest and make landfall in Zhejiang either tomorrow night to Friday morning, or move north into waters near Zhejiang on Friday and then turn northeast, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
More than 1.20 lakh people have been moved to safer places, 20,000 fishing vessels have taken shelter in Fujian, and nearly 2,000 scenic spots and construction sites shut down.
In Zhejiang, nearly 9,000 people have been relocated and more than 4,700 fishing vessels harboured.
In the meantime, Typhoon Doksuri, the 19th in the region this year, has been forecast to either pass the coast of south China's Hainan Island or land in coastal areas of the province tomorrow night or Friday morning.
The Hainan weather bureau today morning issued an alert for the approaching Typhoon Doksuri.
Earlier this month, Mawar, the 16th typhoon to hit China this year, had made a landfall in the country's southern Guangdong province, bringing gales of 20 meters per second.