Hong Kong Observatory on Monday night issued a standby warning to warn the public of the strongeststorms to hit the city.

The number one standby signal was issued by the observatory as Typhoon Chanchu was centering 750 km south of Hong Kong Monday night.

As the tropical cyclone is estimated to move north at about 14 km per hour toward the coast of neighboring Guangdong Province, Hong Kong will be affected by stronger wind on Tuesday.

A few showers are expected Monday night, and showers will become more frequent with squalls Tuesday, said a statement issuedby the Hong Kong Observatory.

It said winds will be strong over offshore waters later Tuesday.

A higher rank of warning rated number three may have to be issued on Tuesday as winds pick up, said the observatory senior scientific officer Poon Hoi To.

Typhoon Chanchu, which means pearl in Cantonese, blew over the Philippines on Sunday and left more than 30 people killed.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2006)