The Philippines evacuated northern coastal villages, suspended ferry services and called in fishing boats on Friday as an approaching category-five storm, already labeled a super typhoon, gained strength on a path set for southern China.

With center winds of 205 kph (127 mph) and gusts of up to 240 kph, Typhoon Usagi, the strongest storm to hit the Western Pacific this year, was moving northwest at 19 kph between the Philippines and Taiwan and headed for south China.

Chinese authorities on Friday issued a disaster relief alert for typhoon Usagi, which is expected to hit coastal regions of southern China's Guangdong province on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported.