Chinese meteorologists issue red alert for Typhoon Gaemi

The China Meteorological Administration initiated a Level II emergency response for major meteorological disasters on Wednesday noon, after China's National Meteorological Center issued a red alert for Typhoon Gaemi in the morning of the day.

The center of Typhoon Gaemi, the third typhoon of this year, is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the country's southern regions. It was located 195 kilometers southeast off Taiwan's Yilan county at 9 am and is forecast to travel northwestward at a speed of 10 to 15 km per hour, according to the meteorological center.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall along the coast between Hualien and Keelong in Taiwan on Wednesday night. After crossing the island, it is projected to make a second landfall on Thursday afternoon or evening along the coast between Fuding and Jinjiang in Fujian province.

The typhoon will move further northward to inland areas of China, where its intensity will gradually decrease, the meteorological center said.

Gales are forecast to sweep parts of the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea — including the waters near the Diaoyu Islands — the South China Sea, the Bashi Channel and the Taiwan Strait from 2 pm Wednesday to 2 pm Thursday, it said.

During the same period, parts of Fujian, Taiwan and Zhejiang are expected to see heavy rainstorms, with precipitation of up to 600 millimeters, the meteorological center said.

Local authorities are urged to prepare emergency typhoon response measures and remain on high alert for possible flooding and geological disasters.

Xinhua contributed to this story.