China on alert for Typhoon Nari

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(Xinhua) 11:15, October 13, 2013

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China is on alert for Typhoon Nari as the storm entered the South China Sea on Saturday morning and is forecast to bring strong winds and rainstorms to the region.

The center of Typhoon Nari was located about 645 km southeast of Sansha City, Hainan Province at 3 p.m. Saturday, packing winds of up to 118.8 km per hour. It moved westward at a speed of 15 km to 20 km per hour, said the Hainan provincial meteorological station.

Nari will continue to gain momentum and sweep the waters near the Xisha Islands early Monday, the station forecast.

The station urged sea vessels to return to harbor as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the flood control headquarters of Guangdong Province also initiated an emergency response on Saturday for Typhoon Nari, warning of waves six to nine meters high in the province's coastal areas from Monday to Wednesday.

The headquarters has asked maritime, fishing and meteorological authorities to issue warnings and inform fishing or passing vessels in the South China Sea to return to shore or leave areas expected to be affected.

The National Meteorological Center on Saturday evening issued an orange alert for Nari, the second-highest warning in its four-tier color-coded weather warning system.

Ten Chinese fishermen were confirmed dead and 52 others missing after three vessels sank after Typhoon Wutip swept the Xisha Islands late last month. Twenty-six were rescued.

（Editor：HuangJin、Liang Jun）