Taiwan’s weather authorities warned residents of heavy rain and strong winds starting on Wednesday as Typhoon Saola skirts the south of the island on its way to China’s southern coast.

The typhoon is moving north-west with sustained winds of 101mph (162kph) and gusts of up to 123mph (198kph), according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

The typhoon’s eye will not hit Taiwan’s mainland, but is expected to graze the island’s southern cities with its outer bands.

The weather bureau also warned late on Monday night that high waves and swells are expected to make boat journeys dangerous.

Heavy rain is expected in Taiwan’s eastern and southern areas on Wednesday into Thursday.

The weather bureau has so far categorised the storm as a mid-strength typhoon, and said there is a slight chance the storm could strengthen.

The typhoon is then expected to hit southern Fujian and Guangdong provinces in China’s south.

Saola has caused flooding in the northern part of the Philippines in the past few days. Hundreds of people have been displaced, but no casualties have been reported.

A major typhoon has not made landfall in Taiwan in the past few years.

In July, the island was mostly able to avoid major damage caused by Typhoon Doksuri, which brought widespread flooding, upturned boats, and caused several dozens deaths in both the Philippines and China.