South China's Hainan Province kicked off a secondary warning and emergency response mechanism for major disastrous weathers on Sunday morning, as Typhoon Damrey impending towards the island province at a speed of 15-20 km/h.

According to local meteorologists, at around 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Typhoon Damrey had its eye monitored at 18.9 degrees north latitude and 112.8 degrees east longitude, or in the South China Sea waters some 210 km away from Wanning City on the province's eastern coast. Wind near the typhoon eye was up to a hurricane at the strongest, at a speed of 40 meters per second.

The meteorologists forecast that in the coming day, Typhoon Damrey will have its eye moving westward at 15-20 km/h and make a landfall on the eastern coast of Hainan on Sunday afternoon.

The provincial meteorological observatory also predicted that storms and concentrated downpours, as well as strong winds, will persist on the whole island till Monday.

In a related development, passenger railway services between Hainan and Guangdong Province, also in south China, have been suspended against Typhoon Damrey, with cargo railroad services inside the island continuing.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2005)