HAIKOU, Nov. 17 -- The southern Chinese island province of Hainan has ordered the suspension of ferry services in the Qiongzhou Strait starting at 2 a.m. Tuesday due to strong winds and cold waves, said local authorities Monday night.

Hainan provincial meteorological observatory issued a blue alert for strong winds on Monday, warning that cold waves from Tuesday to Wednesday will bring gales with speeds up to 24.4 meters per second, posing risks to maritime transport.

Currently, local ports have initiated emergency transport protocols to expedite the departure of vehicles and passengers. Local railway authorities have suspended all passenger train services into and out of the island scheduled for Tuesday, and part of the inbound services on Wednesday.

According to the maritime safety administration of Haikou, the provincial capital, it has implemented a 24-hour emergency response system, as well as enhanced monitoring of key vessels such as ferries and hazardous material carriers.

China has a four-tier weather-warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.