Kathmandu— China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a blue alert on Friday afternoon as a tropical depression over the Beibu Gulf intensified into Typhoon Koinu, the 19th typhoon of this year. The NMC forecasts that the storm will remain nearly stationary over the Beibu Gulf through Sunday, potentially strengthening to a strong tropical storm before moving northeastward and weakening as it approaches coastal areas of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Gale-force winds are expected across a wide swath of the South China Sea, while heavy rainfall is predicted for several southern and eastern provinces.

Typhoon Trajectory and Intensity

The NMC predicts that Typhoon Koinu will remain relatively stationary over the Beibu Gulf from Friday night through Sunday. During this period, it is expected to gradually intensify, potentially reaching strong tropical storm status. Beginning Sunday night, the typhoon is forecast to move slowly northeastward at a speed of 5 to 10 kilometers per hour, weakening as it nears the western Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong Province and the southern coast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Forecasted Weather Impacts

From Friday evening through Saturday evening, strong winds are anticipated across the Beibu Gulf, much of the South China Sea, the Bashi Channel, waters east of Taiwan, and coastal regions of Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan Island. Simultaneously, rainstorms are expected to affect parts of Hainan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Taiwan, with some areas potentially experiencing extremely heavy downpours.

Preparedness and Safety Measures

Meteorological experts have urged authorities in Hainan, Guangxi, and Taiwan to increase preparedness for potential secondary disasters resulting from accumulated rainfall. Coastal regions in southern China and the South China Sea are advised to take precautions against strong winds and enhance safety measures related to shipping, coastal tourism, aquaculture, and other maritime activities.

Authorities continue to monitor Typhoon Koinu's development and movement, with ongoing alerts and warnings issued as necessary to ensure public safety.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.