As Linfa, the third tropical storm this year which has upgraded to strong tropical storm Saturday noon, people in east China are bracing for it.

Formed in the South China Sea Thursday afternoon, the storm was located at 21.1 degrees north latitude and 117.8 degrees east longitude at 8 p.m. Saturday. It was about 330 kilometers from Zhangpu County in the eastern Fujian Province and is moving with a speed of 10 kilometers northwards towards the province, according to the Fujian Provincial Meteorological Observatory.

A emergency alarm was issued by the provincial weather bureau. By 5 p.m., 2,908 fishing boats and 242 people on the sea returned to harbor.

About 3.98 million short messages were sent by local communication management bureau, warning people to be alert of the storm.

The voyage route between Xiamen of Fujian and Jinmen of Taiwan was closed temporarily while 1,185 cargo ships suspended their service and sought shelter, according to the provincial maritime affairs bureau.

Linfa was expected to land in the coastal areas between the eastern part of Guangdong Province and southern Fujian Province or move north along the Taiwan Strait, between noon and night on Sunday, said the China Meteorological Administration.

Strong gales were expected to sweep some coastal cities in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, the administration said.

China has been affected by extreme weathers over the past weeks.

On Saturday, a rainstorm hit Shanghai, delaying more than 40 flights which were about to land in the city.

A flight, MU 546 from Bombay of India with 124 passengers, was delayed for nearly four hours.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2009)