HANGZHOU, Aug. 31 -- East China's Zhejiang Province activated a Level-IV emergency response for Typhoon Haikui at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

According to the Zhejiang meteorological station, Haikui is moving in a northwesterly direction at speeds of 20 to 25 kilometers per hour with increasing intensity. It is expected to enter the East China Sea later this week, bringing gales from Thursday night as it approaches.

Fishing boats off the coast of Zhejiang are returning to port to brace for the typhoon, and local maritime safety authorities have increased their monitoring and inspection work.

China's Ministry of Transport on Thursday said it has deployed 16 high-power rescue-and-salvage ships and nine rescue helicopters in eastern and southern coastal areas that could be hit by Typhoon Saola and Typhoon Haikui.

Six emergency rescue teams have been deployed to cover the Taiwan Strait, Zhejiang and the Yangtze River estuary area, where Haikui is expected to hit.