BEIJING / GUANGZHOU - China is bracing for Typhoon Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of the year, with strong winds and heavy rainfall expected to hit parts of the country's southern and eastern regions.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) said on Sunday that Ragasa had intensified into a super typhoon Sunday morning, and is expected to make landfall along the coastal areas from Shanwei in Guangdong province to Wenchang in Hainan province between early Wednesday and the afternoon on Wednesday.

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Meteorologists have warned that Ragasa is moving rapidly while maintaining its strength, making it the most powerful typhoon to hit China this year.

The NMC noted that from Tuesday to Thursday, heavy to torrential rain is expected in parts of Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian, with some areas likely to receive up to 280 millimeters of precipitation. Some regions in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces will also experience heavy rainfall due to the typhoon's influence.

Authorities in the affected areas have been urged to take preventive measures, relocate residents from high-risk zones in a timely manner, and strengthen safety management for transportation, maritime tourism and urban operations.  

Two cities to suspend school, production

Guangdong province in south China on Monday raised its wind emergency response to Level II, with two cities announcing a series of suspension measures, as Typhoon Ragasa approaches.

The Level II response, the second-highest in China's four-tier warning system, was activated at 10 am on Monday.

Schools will suspend classes starting Tuesday in the cities of Zhuhai and Jiangmen - while work, production, public transport and business operations will also be suspended later on Tuesday, according to the local flood, drought and wind control headquarters.

All passenger ferry services to the Chuanshan Islands in Jiangmen will be suspended starting Tuesday, as the wind speed may reach about 20 meters per second in the nearby sea area.

As of 10 am Monday, the maritime safety administration of the province had relocated over 10,000 coastal vessels across the province to safe waters for shelter.