The storm, named Hagupit by the Philippines, is expected to hit coastal areas between Taishan and Zhanjiang cities in western Guangdong Province last night and continuing through until noon tomorrow, China's Central Meteorological Observatory warned Wednesday.

Hagupit was moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour with storm force winds near its center which would become even stronger before striking land, said the warning.

The tropical storm's center was at 21.2 degrees north latitude and 113.3 degrees east longitude in the sea area about 100 kilometers southeast of Taishan city.

The meteorological observatory also forecast that the northern South China Sea, coastal areas of South China's Guangdong and Hainan provinces would experience moderate to full gales from Wednesday afternoon.

In Hong Kong, the storm forced the suspension of financial markets, banks and other public services.

The local stock market was shut down in the afternoon, following the hoisting of the typhoon warning.

All the schools and some government services centers were closed.

In Macao, Wednesday few people were seen in the streets as the strongest typhoon of the past few years swept in.

Local TV channels have been updating news about the typhoon and most government departments have issued notices on websites to announce the cancellation of daily services.

Gong Xiaozhuang, public relations manager of Air Macao, told Xinhua that the flagship air carrier for the Special Administrative Region (SAR) had cancelled all regular flights for the time being.

As a safety measure, travelers have been asked to stay at the Macao airport or hotels nearby until the typhoon passes, she said.

Traffic was held up on Macao's two cross-strait bridges. A third bridge, which will have a sealed deck making it safer in typhoons, has not been built yet, so people at present cannot move directly between Macao Peninsula and the SAR's two separate islands.

Sea transport and helicopter service have also been halted between Macao and Hong Kong, and schools and banks closed.

(China Daily September 12, 2002)