BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Sunday issued a yellow alert for typhoon Tokage that will bring gales to some southern coastal regions.

Tokage, this year's 25th typhoon, was centered on the central part of South China Sea at 5 a.m. Sunday and is moving northward at a speed of 5 to 10 km per hour, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

The typhoon will turn southwest from Monday with force gradually dwindling, the NMC said.

Affected by the typhoon and cold front, coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will be swept by strong wind, according to the statement.

The NMC advised local authorities to take precautions against the typhoon and ships in affected regions to go back to ports.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.