The fourth typhoon of the year is approaching the coastal areas in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan, local meteorological departments said Tuesday.

The eye of the typhoon was above the sea 70 km southeast of Wenchang City of Hainan at around 5 p.m.

It may make landfall on or pass the eastern coastal areas of Hainan Tuesday night and make a second landfall on the western coastal cities of Guangdong on Wednesday, according to the local meteorological departments.

The State Oceanic Administration issued a blue alert Tuesday warning that coastal areas of Guangdong and Hainan would experience huge waves, gales and storms.

Passenger ship services across the Qiongzhou Strait between Hainan and Guangdong were halted Monday afternoon and after a short resumption were suspended again at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.