HAIKOU - The weather bureau of South China's Hainan province Wednesday morning issued an alert for the approaching Typhoon Doksuri, the 19th typhoon in the region this year.

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, the eye of Doksuri was above the South China Sea, about 970 km southeast of Hainan's Sanya city, packing winds up to 18 meters per second.

The bureau forecast that Doksuri would move northwest at a speed of 15 to 20 km per hour. The typhoon will grow stronger and is expected to either pass off the coast of Hainan Island or land in coastal areas of the province between Thursday night and Friday.

Downpours and gales are forecast in southern China in the following days.

China's national weather observatory Wednesday continued issuing an orange alert for Typhoon Talim, the 18th typhoon this year.

It forecast that Talim would either move northwest and make landfall in Zhejiang province from Thursday night to Friday morning, or move north into waters near Zhejiang on Friday and then turn northeast.

Hainan weather bureau warned ships against passing through ocean areas affected by either typhoon.