Beijing, Jul 22 (IANS): South China's island province of Hainan witnessed rainstorms and gusty winds from Sunday to Monday morning due to Typhoon Prapiroon, the fourth typhoon of the year, according to local meteorological authorities.

From Sunday to 10 a.m. on Monday, torrential rain hit eastern, central and western Hainan. A total of 12 cities and counties in the province, including the provincial capital, Haikou, saw rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres, reports Xinhua news agency.

The coastal areas and waters off Hainan experienced widespread gusts, with the strongest recorded in Wancheng Town in Wanning City, reaching 38.2 metres per second.

After making landfall in Wanning City around 1:30 a.m. on Monday, the typhoon moved into the eastern waters of the Beibu Gulf by 10 a.m.

The typhoon is expected to continue moving northwest, strengthening again as it approaches the coastal areas near the China-Vietnam border, according to the Hainan provincial meteorological observatory.