China's maritime authority on Sunday upgraded its extreme weather warning from yellow to orange as Typhoon Wutip, the 21st tropical cyclone of this season, swept across the city of Sansha in south China's Hainan Province on Sunday morning.

The central region of the South China Sea experienced rough seas caused by Wutip, with the strongest sustained wind of 140-150 kilometres per hour, according to China's National Meteorological Centre.

Strong gusts of 90-110 kilometres per hour accompanied by a 155-millimetre rainfall battered the Yongxing Island in Sansha City, toppling trees and causing serious waterlogging on roads and damage to local houses.

Local authorities have taken precautionary measures against Typhoon Wutip and helped local fishermen to berth vessels off sea waters to avoid danger. Rescuers have also been dispatched to repair the damaged buildings.

According to reports, Typhoon Wutip is now moving westward along the South China Sea from Yongxing Island at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour and is expected to strengthen and continue to affect the entire Hainan Province and Guangdong Province on Sunday and Monday before it makes landfall on Vietnam's central coast on October 1.

Presented by Adam Justice

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