Typhoon Talim continued to gain power after strengthening early on Monday and is set to be the first to make landfall in China this year, prompting authorities to cancel flights, suspend high-speed trains and order people to stay at home.
The China Meteorological Administration said the typhoon was expected to increase in intensity to become "severe" by the time it makes landfall at night along the southern coast between Guangdong and Hainan.
As of 2 p.m., China's meteorological center said Talim was located 190 kilometers southeast of Zhanjiang city in Guangdong province, with gusts near its center clocked at a top speed of 137 kph.