On Friday morning, China's National Meteorological Center issued a red typhoon alert and suspended dozens of train services as the country's eastern coast braces for Typhoon Lekima.

The storm -- which was briefly a "super" typhoon on Thursday before it weakened into a regular typhoon -- is currently near Taiwan's northern tip, and is set to hit Zhejiang province on east coast early Saturday morning. When it hits, it is expected to be equivalent to category 2 hurricane with winds around 150-160kmh.

China's Ministry of Water Resources has dispatched emergency response teams to Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu. Southern Zhejiang will be most affected by the winds, but other coastal areas -- including areas north of Shanghai -- are at risk from heavy rain and floods.