Typhoon Lionrock on path to hit south China's Hainan

Lionrock, the 17th typhoon to affect China this year, is heading toward the island province of Hainan, according to local meteorological authorities.

The typhoon, escalated from a tropical depression early Friday morning in the South China Sea, was observed on waters 150 km southeast of Wanning City in Hainan at 8 a.m., said the provincial meteorological department. It has issued a level III alert for the approaching typhoon.

Lionrock is expected to bring abundant rainfall to alleviate drought in Hainan, where the water storage capacity in reservoirs is only 40.8 percent of the normal capacity.

Ferry services in the Qiongzhou Strait were suspended on Oct. 6 due to the forecast of strong winds and storms. The traffic is expected to resume on Sunday.