China's southeastern coastal region was warned to prepare for more typhoons this month, as Typhoon Tida battered many provinces on Tuesday, the national meteorological authority said.

"In 10 days, there will be two to three typhoons formed, of which one will make landfall in the southeast," Wang Zhihua, deputy head of the emergency and disaster relief department under the China Meteorological Administration, said on Thursday.

So far this year, China has seen three typhoons make landfall - more frequently than average. The three struck in southern and southeastern regions, including Fujian, Hainan and Guangdong provinces, as well as Taiwan, said Qian Chuanhai, a typhoon forecaster in the administration.

In autumn, China may see more and stronger typhoons hit coastal regions, due to the lasting influence of El Nino and approaching La Nina, the administration said.

Both the administration and the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters have warned regions prone to typhoons to make better preparations.

Based on the statistics from the meteorological authority, the top five regions for typhoons in August are Taiwan, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang and Hainan.

On Tuesday, Typhoon Nida made landfall in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and affecting 682,000 people in five provinces.

But the affected provinces gave early warnings and strengthened prevention efforts, which prevented deaths.

For example, Guangzhou required suspension of production and schools on Tuesday to guarantee safety, and it strengthened monitoring and other emergency measures.

"It's the first time I've experienced a typhoon, but I feel safe because of frequent warnings and suggestions sent through text messages from the city and district governments," said Kong Yiying, a 27-year-old native of North China's Shanxi province, who is living in Guangzhou.

Many provinces have increased their investment in anti-flooding facilities to reduce casualties, since the country still faces a high risk of flooding.

For example, Jiangxi province will invest 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) in three years on eight major projects such as embankments, reservoirs and drainage systems. Since March 21, the start of flood season, China has seen 28 deluges with rainfall 17 percent higher than average, Wang from the administration said.

zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/05/2016 page5)