BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- China's maritime weather authority warned Tuesday of approaching Typhoon Saola, the ninth typhoon of the year, and called on vessels and local residents to be well prepared.

Typhoon Saola is gaining strength and will move northwest at a speed of 10 km per hour toward the east coast of Taiwan and gradually approach the Chinese mainland's coastal areas, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center said in a report.

The typhoon's center was located about 400 km southeast of Hualien, Taiwan on Tuesday morning, the report said.

The center issued a yellow warning for waves on Tuesday, the second-lowest level in China's four-level storm and wave warning system.

From noon Tuesday to noon Wednesday, waters east of Taiwan will produce waves 7 to 10 meters high, while the southern waters of the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the northeastern waters of the South China Sea will see waves 4 to 6 meters high.

East China's Fujian and Zhejiang provinces will also witness 2.5- to 3.5-meter waves during the same period, according to the center's forecast.

The center also issued a blue warning, the lowest warning level, for a storm surge in coastal areas of Fujian, with a predicted surge of 30 to 80 centimeters from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning.

The center warned local authorities and the public to take precautionary measures and intensify safety checks for fishing facilities.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction issued a national early disaster warning on Tuesday to advise local governments in areas likely to be affected to prepare for the approaching typhoon.

The disaster relief authority urged local civil affairs agencies to closely monitor the tropical storm and use every possible means, including text messaging, electronic display screens, broadcasting and television networks, to issue early warnings to the public in a timely manner.

Civil affairs agencies are also required to provide around-the-clock storm monitoring services, as well as manage relief material distribution and the evacuation of local residents. Enditem