Beijing, Aug 2 (IANS): China's National Meteorological Centre (NMC) on Wednesday renewed a blue alert as Typhoon Khanun, the sixth typhoon this year, is moving northwest toward the East Sea.

From 8 a.m. Wednesday to 8 a.m. Thursday, strong winds with speeds of 39 to 74 km per hour are expected in the Bashi Channel, areas to the east of Taiwan island, most parts of the East Sea, waters near the Diaoyu Island, the Hangzhou Bay, coastal areas of Zhejiang and northern regions of Fujian, northern parts of Taiwan island and coastal areas in the south, with wind gusts surpassing 100 km per hour, Xinhua news agency quoted the NMC as saying.

The Centre has advised the aforementioned regions to make emergency preparations for the typhoon.

The NMC has also said that in the same time period, heavy downpours and rainstorms are likely to lash Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hainan and Taiwan.

Some parts of these regions are expected to experience heavy rainfall, with maximum hourly precipitation surpassing 60 mm, accompanied by thunderstorms, gales and hails.

Local governments have been urged to make proper preparations and fulfill their responsibilities accordingly.

Schools and kindergartens should take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of students and children, according to the Centre.