Hong Kong Observatory on Monday night issued a standby warning to alert the public to be prepared for the strongest storms ever to hit the city in May.

The number one standby signal was issued by the observatory as Typhoon Chanchu centering 750 kilometers south of Hong Kong on Monday night.

As the tropical cyclone is estimated to move north at about 14 kilometers per hour toward the coast of neighboring Guangdong Province, Hong Kong will be affected by strengthened wind on Tuesday.

A few showers are expected on Monday night, and showers will become more frequent with squalls Tuesday, said a statement issued by the Hong Kong Observatory.

It said winds will be strong over offshore waters later Tuesday.

A higher rank of warning rated number three may have to be issued on Tuesday as winds pick up, said the observatory senior scientific officer Poon Hoi To.

Typhoon Chanchu, which means pearl in Cantonese, blew over the Philippines on Sunday and left more than 30 people killed.

Source: Xinhua