GUANGZHOU, July 1 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangdong Province upgraded its emergency response level for Typhoon Chaba to Level III, the third-highest, at 12 p.m. Friday, local authorities have said.
Chaba, the third typhoon of the year, will move northwest at speeds of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour toward the western coastal region of Guangdong, the provincial meteorological department has forecast.
Chaba will likely make landfall in the coastal area between Jiangmen City and Zhanjiang City in Guangdong during the day on Saturday, it said.
Strong winds and severe downpours are expected to lash parts of Guangdong from Saturday to Sunday.
The province's 2,730 fishing boats have returned to port for shelter, and 400 construction workers at eight offshore wind power platforms have been evacuated, according to the provincial emergency management department.
China has a four-tier weather warning system, with Level I being the most severe warning. ■
