Beijing, Oct 5 (IANS): China's meteorological authorities Saturday issued a red alert, the highest in its weather warning system, as Typhoon Fitow approaches the country's southeast coastal areas, Xinhua reported.

At 5 a.m. (local time), the center of Fitow, the 23rd typhoon to hit China this year, was 680 km east of Taipei, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

The typhoon is expected to move northwestward at a speed of about 15 km per hour, during which it could continue to strengthen slightly, the centre said.

Fitow is likely to make landfall in the coastal areas between central Zhejiang Province and northern Fujian Province between Sunday night and Monday morning, according to the NMC, which added that it was unusual for a typhoon to make landfall in southeast China in October.

Fitow, the NMC said, is expected to bring strong gales to sea waters of northeast and north Taiwan, as well as the east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces in the next 24 hours.

From Sunday, Fitow is forecast to bring heavy rain to southeast China. Eastern and southern Zhejiang provinces are likely to be hit by heavy rainstorms, the centre said.

On Saturday, China's maritime authorities also issued an orange alert for a wave warning.

Fitow is expected to reach the southeastern part of the East China Sea on Saturday afternoon or night, said the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre.

The typhoon will bring waves as high as 12 metres in the South East China Sea and waters around the Diaoyu Islands from Saturday noon to Sunday midday, with waves of up to five metres in the north of the East China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait, according to the center.

The centre also warned of storm tides, with water levels expected to increase by as much as 90 centimeters in coastal areas of Zhejiang and Fujian from Saturday night to Sunday noon.