BEIJING - China's oceanic department Tuesday warned of approaching tropical storm Talim and called on vessels and local residents to be well-prepared.

Tropical storm Talim, the fifth one this year, is moving northeast at a speed of 15 km per hour to the northern waters of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the State Oceanic Administration said in a statement.

The center of the tropical storm was 290 km southeast of Hong Kong at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the statement said.

The storm is gaining strength while moving nearer, the statement said.

The waters off South China's Fujian and Guangdong provinces will produce waves three to four meters high from Tuesday evening to Wednesday.

The administration suggested that vessels in affected waters should seek shelter as soon as possible, and authorities on the coast should reinforce embankments and prepare to evacuate residents.