As typhoon Doksuri intensifies, fishing boats return to port for shelter in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on July 25, 2023. Photo: VCG

China's meteorological authorities on Tuesday launched a Level-III emergency response, the third-highest level, and a yellow alert for typhoons, as Doksuri, the fifth typhoon of the year, continued intensifying and reached a super strong level on Monday night, raising expectations for heavy rains and winds along the country's coastal regions.

Doksuri is expected to move northwest at a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour. Forecasts project that the typhoon will move into the northeastern part of the South China Sea on Thursday, and approach coastal areas from the central part of East China's Fujian Province to the eastern part of South China's Guangdong Province, according to the China Meteorological Administration on Tuesday.

China's state flood control and drought relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management have strengthened real-time monitoring and disaster prevention work, including carrying out drills, adjusting emergency response timing, and strengthening management of offshore operations and safety inspections to reduce the risk of disasters, Chen Min, director general of the department of flood control and drought relief of the Ministry of Emergency Management, said at Tuesday's press briefing.

Doksuri is predicted to move toward the north after landing, which is sure to have a significant impact on the eastern part of China. Preparations for typhoon prevention should be made in advance and disaster prevention should be strengthened, as typhoon season has started, Wang Yawei, an official from the China Meteorological Administration, said at Tuesday's press briefing.

China is facing a critical period for flood control, and relevant departments should pay attention to heavy rainfall, typhoons, high temperatures, drought and other meteorological disasters as well as mountain torrents, urban waterlogging and other secondary disasters, Wang said.

China has a four-tier emergency response system for meteorological disasters, with Level I being the most severe. During a Level-III emergency response, all relevant working staff need to be on standby and report timely on the weather and disaster situation.

In the country's four-tier severe weather warning system, red is the most serious level, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center  issued an orange warning for ocean waves at 4 pm on Tuesday. 

Coastal regions have undertaken necessary preparations. Fujian Province upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level III on Monday. Fishing boats have been required to return to port and residents in potential risk areas need to transfer to safe regions before Wednesday. Other preparations have been made to guard against secondary disasters, according to Fujian authorities.

Global Times