FUZHOU, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- East China's Fujian Province on Monday activated a level-III emergency response, the third-highest, as it braced for the tropical storm Mekkhala.
Mekkhala, the sixth typhoon of the year, strengthened into a tropical storm on Monday, and is quickly moving towards Fujian, expecting to bring heavy rains and strong gales to the coastal province.
Mekkhala was forecast to move northward at about 27 km per hour and make landfall on the coast of Fujian on Tuesday morning as a tropical depression or tropical storm, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.
The agency ordered all fishing boats in the fishing grounds in the affected areas to return to ports to take shelter or keep away from the affected areas before late Monday night.
Meanwhile, passenger ferries were ordered to suspend services, and tourist attractions and construction sites were ordered to close. Enditem
