China's coastal Fujian and Zhejiang provinces issued alerts on Saturday for typhoon Sinlaku, the 13th tropical storm so far this year.

Typhoon Sinlaku was expected to hit northeastern Taiwan at Saturday night and land in east China at Sunday morning, bringing downpours and gales, according to Zhejiang Provincial Meteorological Observatory.

The center of Typhoon Sinlaku was 465 kilometers from Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Heavy rains were forecast in the northeastern regions of Fujian, middle and eastern parts of Zhejiang over the next two days because of Typhoon Sinlaku, and there could be torrential rains in some regions of Zhejiang.

The Fujian Provincial Administration of Ocean and Fisheries issued an alert urging all ships to take shelter in nearby bays.

The coastal Taizhou City and Wenling City in Zhejiang already banned all ships from going to the sea for fear of the typhoon.

All schools should close in the next two days, according to an urgent circular issued by the Fujian Provincial Education Bureau, which also suggested teachers and students to stay indoors for fear of the typhoon.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2008)