BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) — Weather forecasters issued an orange alert for waves and a yellow alert for storms on Sunday as Typhoon Malakas moved along the east coast of the Chinese mainland.

Typhoon Malakas was at sea off southeastern coast of Zhejiang Province at 8 a.m. Sunday, said China's National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have initiated the level-four disaster relief emergency response, dispatching a team to Zhejiang to review the situation in the affected region and assist in disaster relief.

From Sunday to Monday, the typhoon is expected to bring up to nine meter waves in the East China Sea. Waves up to four meters are expected near the Diaoyu Islands, in the Huanghai Sea, Taiwan Strait, and off the coast of Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Fujian.  

Storm surges of up to one meter are expected in coastal areas in parts of Jiangsu and Fujian provinces.

The center issued an orange alert for waves and storms on Saturday.

In China's four-tier severe weather warning system, red is the most serious alert, followed by orange, yellow and blue.