The national weather bureau says it's moving northwest with a speed of 12 kilometers per hour. The bureau forecasts the typhoon will make landfall between the cities of Sanya and Wanning, later today.
There's also the possibility the storm skips the island of Hainan, and instead head toward Beibu Bay.
Ships in the middle and northern parts of the South China Sea, and those off the coast of Hainan, have been advised to take immediate precautions. Passenger ships and services across the Qiongzhou Strait have also been halted.
