FUZHOU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Meteorological observatories in Fujian and Hainan, two provinces in east and south China, respectively, on Tuesday issued warnings to ships at sea or ocean-going vessels for tropical storm Kammuri.

The ninth tropical storm of the year appeared in the northeastern part of the South China Sea and intensified into strong tropical storm at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

Its eye was monitored at 19.7 degrees north latitude and 117 degrees east longitude, about 650 km out on the sea east of Wenchang City, the Hainan meteorological observatory said.

Kammuri is expected to move northwestward, according to the Fujian observatory. It will bring about strong winds and heavy rain as it sweeps the area on Tuesday and Wednesday.