Typhoon Conson was expected to make a landfall in Hainan province on Friday (July 16).
Heavy downpours were expected to accompany Conson, the first tropical storm to affect Shenzhen this year, the Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory said Thursday.
The storm strengthened Thursday morning and was moving northwest at 15-20 kilometers per hour, with winds reaching 90 km/h near the center. The storm was heading toward Wenchang in Hainan Province.
By 5 p.m. Thursday, it was 650 kilometers southwest of Shenzhen. The observatory suggested residents stay clear of coastal areas and avoid swimming or other water activities. Precautions should be taken for construction sites, sheds, trees and billboards and residents were warned of the danger near slopes, low lying areas and dilapidated houses.
The observatory said Conson's path was uncertain.
It rolled westward over the Philippines, killing 23 people by Thursday morning.
Conson would dump heavy rain on some regions of Sichuan, Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi in the coming three days.
Rainstorms and floods sweeping through southern China have left at least 118 dead and 47 missing since July 1, the Civil Affairs Ministry said Wednesday.
(By Han Ximin)
