The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Wednesday initiated a level-two disaster control emergency response for typhoon Nuri, which was expected to make landfall on the southeast coast on Friday or Saturday.

Nuri will be the first strong typhoon to land in China this year, the headquarters said.

According to the latest forecast at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nuri was 700 kilometers southeast of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, packing winds of up to 144 km per hour.

Nuri was still strengthening and moving northwest at 15 km per hour, according to the headquarters.

The flood control authorities of Fujian and Guangdong provinces have launched emergency response plans for Nuri.

In Fujian, 1,300 vessels had returned to harbor as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Guangdong has organized the evacuation of coastal fishermen.

Downpours were expected to hit Guangdong on Friday and Saturday, the provincial meteorological station forecast.

The China Meteorological Administration has launched a level-three emergency alert in response to the typhoon.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2008)