Guangdong braces for Typhoon Koinu

Coastal cities in the western part of Guangdong province are sparing no effort to brace for Typhoon Koinu, which is expected to slam into Leizhou Peninsula and eastern waters of Hainan province on Monday night.

In Zhanjiang city, authorities have arranged two professional rescue boats, eight harbor tugboats and nine ocean patrol vessels to be on duty 24 hours starting Monday to help deal with any possible marine accidents, the city government said in a statement released on Monday.

And construction of the city's all 18 major offshore projects has been suspended and workers have been asked to go ashore while all fishing vessels, plus 350 non-fishing boats, have returned to shelters starting 6 pm on Sunday to avoid accidents and ensure the safety of fishermen and offshore workers, said the statement.

Due to Typhoon Koinu, which is bringing storms and strong winds to coastal areas, the ro-ro passenger service across Qiongzhou Strait, linking Hainan to the Zhanjiang city, will be suspended beginning 2 pm Monday, it said.

Koinu, the 14th typhoon to hit the Chinese coast this year, is moving at a speed of between 10 and 15 kilometers an hour in a westward direction from the estuary of the Pearl River, about 80 km away from southeast of the coastal city of Taishan. Koinu, which is expected to weaken to become a tropical storm in 12 hours, is forecast to make a landfall in Guangdong's western coasts on Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

Major cities in the western part of Guangdong, including Zhanjiang, Zhuhai, Maoming, Yangjiang, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, are expected to experience down pours and strong winds that accompany Koinu on Monday and Tuesday.

In Zhuhai special economic zone and Yangjiang city, all schools and kindergartens have suspended classes starting Sunday noon.

In Zhuhai's Xiangzhou and Doumen districts red alert has been issued on Monday morning, requiring locals to stay indoor unless necessary.

All scenic spots in Zhuhai and Yangjiang have been ordered to temporarily close to ensure locals' and tourists' safety.