China issues this year's first red alert for typhoon, E China gears up

China's National Meteorological Center issued a red alert, the highest level, for Typhoon Gaemi at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. This is the first red alert for a typhoon issued this year.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall along the coast of central or northern Taiwan on Wednesday night. After crossing the island, it is projected to make landfall between Thursday afternoon and midnight along the coast between Fujian's Fuding and Jinjiang cities in east China, according to the meteorological authorities in Fujian.

Fujian provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters on Wednesday raised the emergency response level for typhoons from Level III to Level II, the second-highest level. It also activated a level-IV emergency response for rainstorms, the least severe of a four-tier response system.

Influenced by the typhoon, rainstorms are expected to lash many parts of Fujian in the coming three days, and the province's central and northern coastal areas are likely to record accumulated rainfall of up to 350 millimeters, with some areas even exceeding 600 millimeters.

Starting Wednesday, coastal areas in east China's Zhejiang Province are expected to see gales and rainstorms. Winds of up to 149 kilometers per hour are likely to sweep nearby waters of cities including Wenzhou and Taizhou. 

Zhejiang's maritime safety administration has required ships navigating along its coast to make proper voyage plans and move away from the typhoon-affected areas as soon as possible.

Currently, the landing of the typhoon coincides with the peak tourist season on Zhejiang's islands. To avoid tourists being stranded on these islands, local authorities in Wenzhou have initiated emergency plans and organized the orderly evacuation of tourists from the islands.

So far, Fuzhou Changle International Airport in Fujian has canceled 13 flights, and the departure of multiple planes has been delayed.

As of 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 66 passenger ferry routes and 180 passenger ferry vessels along the coast of Fujian have been suspended. 

The province also announced that it would halt all passenger train services on Thursday, with some services being suspended on Friday as well.

The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration has put four rescue helicopters and three professional rescue vessels on standby along the province's coast, and 49 patrol boats and 104 tugs are also ready for emergency response.

(With input from Xinhua)