Big waves surge at the Gaolong Bay in Wenchang, a coastal city in south China's Hainan Province, June 22, 2015. Tropical storm Kujira strengthened into a typhoon in the South China Sea on Sunday, which is moving northward and likely to become the first typhoon to hit China this year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Monday afternoon issued a yellow alert for Typhoon Kujira and a blue storm alert.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Typhoon Kujira, the eighth typhoon in 2015 and the first one to hit China, formed in the South China Sea on Sunday morning, and is moving northward at a speed of about 10 kilometers per hour.
Its center was located at 18.9 degrees north latitude and 110.8 degrees east longitude, or 70 km south of Wenchang City on the east of Hainan Island, by 5:00 p.m. Monday.
Hainan has relocated more than 40,000 people as Kujira is expected to land in the southern province on Monday night.
More than 20,000 fishing boats in the province were called back to harbor, and all elementary and middle schools in the provincial capital Haikou City will be closed on Tuesday, according to the local government.
Kujira will sweep waters around Hainan Island before landing between Xuwen and Zhanjiang in southern Guangdong Province on Tuesday morning, rain and strong winds are expected.
The typhoon will weaken gradually after landing, according to the NMC.
Meteorologists warned ships against passing through typhoon-affected areas in the sea.
From Monday to Wednesday, storms will hit southwest and central regions, affecting the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui and Gansu, the NMC also said.
Torrential rain will be seen in the northeastern parts of Sichuan and the southern areas of Shaanxi.
The NMC warned local authorities to monitor the conditions and take precautions against waterlogging, landslide and other disasters.
