Guangdong, Hainan brace for typhoons

Guangdong and Hainan provinces could be hit by two typhoons in the next five days, with one expected to be the strongest of the year so far, authorities said.

Barijat, the 23rd typhoon of the year, formed on the South China Sea and was increasing in strength as it moved westward at 10 to 15 kilometers per hour on Tuesday morning, the Hainan provincial meteorological bureau said.

The bureau has issued an alert, warning against strong winds and heavy rain brought by the typhoon, with maximum winds reaching 65 km per hour near its center. The typhoon was then 850 km from Leizhou, Guangdong. It is expected to land between western Guangdong and eastern Hainan during the daytime on Thursday.