BEIJING -- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Friday activated a level III emergency response to cope with approaching Typhoon Malakas.

Heavy rain and gales are expected to affect China's eastern coastal areas in the coming days, according to the headquarters.

The headquarters urged local authorities in eastern China to take precautions and dispatched five work teams to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as well as Shanghai to prepare for aid and relief.

The typhoon, observed 530 kilometers off Taiwan's east coast at 8 am, is bringing winds of up to 180 km per hour as it moves northwest and is expected to enter the East China Sea soon, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said Friday.

Typhoon Malakas comes hot on the heels of Typhoon Meranti, which left seven dead and nine missing when it swept across eastern Fujian on Thursday.

Meteorologists with the NMC said heavy storms were coming and that sound management of traffic and tourist activities were needed to prevent secondary disasters.