Sea and land warnings were issued yesterday in southeastern China ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Bilis.

Local meteorological departments said the storm is forecast to hit Taiwan and Fujian Provinces in the next two days.

Other coastal provinces, such as Zhejiang, Guangdong and Jiangxi, have issued notices, urging relevant departments to implement effective measures to prevent potential disasters and loss of life, reports said.

According to Fujian provincial observatory yesterday, the center of Bilis was located in the ocean to the southeast of Taiwan, or 20.8-north latitude and 126-east longitude. It is moving at a speed of 15-20 kilometers per hour and is predicted to arrive in Fujian on Saturday.

The storm, expected to evolve into a typhoon within 48 hours, was approaching offshore areas east of Taiwan yesterday, packing winds of 102 kilometers per hour.

The tropical storm will bring heavy rainstorms and strong gales to the Taiwan Straits.

A consulting conference was held yesterday between observatories at central and provincial levels to discuss the storm's route and severity.

Fishery departments in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces have issued notices to call back all ships operating or traveling at sea.

At the same time, land and resources departments have urged local governments to take preventative measures to avoid possible landslides and rock and mudflows. Farmers are being advised to harvest crops before the arrival of the storm, reports said.

Meanwhile, disaster relief efforts are continuing in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after eight people were killed in a two-day rainstorm that began on Saturday.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has dispatched a work team to direct emergency support, according to ministry official Li Baojun yesterday.

?(China Daily July 13, 2006)