China maintains top-level alert for Typhoon Soulik

BEIJING - The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center on Saturday maintained a top-level warning for sea waves caused by Typhoon Soulik.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall on the Chinese mainland's Fujian province Saturday afternoon, the center said, warning that as it approaches, sea waves and tide levels in waters near Fujian and Zhejiang provinces will be higher.

Giant waves surge up against the shoreline in Sansha township, Fujian province, on July 13, 2013. The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center on Saturday maintained a top-level warning for sea waves caused by Typhoon Soulik. [Photo/Xinhua]

The center issued a red wave alert and an orange alert for storm tides.

During Saturday daytime and night, Soulik is expected to whip up sea waves as high as 6 to 10 meters in the southern part of the East China Sea, waters near the Diaoyu Islands and the northern part of the Taiwan Straits.

Sea waves at some monitoring sites have reached high levels. The highest wave, measuring 13.1 meters high, was observed by a monitoring facility in waters near the Diaoyu Islands.

Moreover, waters near Zhejiang and the northern part of Fujian may see waves of 4 to 6.5 meters.

The center warned ships in the affected regions to take safety measures and told relevant organizations to take precautions against high sea waves.

Authorities were also urged to carry out inspections and maintenance for wave protection facilities.

China uses a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

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