Vietnam and southern China implemented large-scale emergency measures on Sunday as Typhoon Kajiki strengthened while approaching the region.

The storm, with winds recorded at 166 kilometres per hour and forecast to reach up to 180 kilometres per hour, was expected to skim China’s Hainan province before making landfall in central Vietnam early Monday.

Vietnamese authorities announced plans to evacuate more than 586,000 people from Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue and Danang provinces.

Residents in the storm’s projected path were instructed to remain indoors after 1400 GMT on Sunday, and military personnel were placed on standby to assist in evacuations and relief operations.

Seven coastal provinces imposed a ban on fishing vessels leaving port.

Vietnam Airlines cancelled at least 22 flights to and from central cities for Sunday and Monday, while Vietjet Aviation announced cancellations and delays.

In China, the resort city of Sanya on Hainan Island issued a red typhoon alert—the highest in the national weather warning system—and raised its emergency response level.

Authorities closed tourist attractions, suspended public transport, shut shopping centres and restaurants, and ordered vessels to remain docked.

Schools and construction sites were also closed.

China’s meteorological agency forecast heavy rainfall across Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi, with up to 320 millimetres of rain expected in parts of Hainan between Sunday and Monday.

The preparations come amid a season of extreme weather across China.

Record rainfall since July has caused widespread flooding in both northern and southern regions, contributing to direct economic losses of more than 52 billion yuan (7.28 billion US dollars) last month, with 295 people reported dead or missing, according to official data.

In Vietnam, the government compared Kajiki’s potential impact to that of Typhoon Yagi, which struck less than a year ago, leaving around 300 people dead and causing 3.3 billion US dollars in damage.