The China Meteorological Administration issued an orange typhoon warning, the second highest level in the four-tier system, on Sunday, expecting Wipha to make landfall between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang in Guangdong province on Sunday afternoon or evening.
The storm, which had already battered Taiwan and the Philippines, also caused strong winds and heavy rain in the neighbouring provinces of Fujian and Hainan as well as Hong Kong, where a No 10 typhoon alert was raised.
At the time of landfall, Wipha was forecast to reach an intensity of Force 13 to 14, with wind speeds of over 150km/h (93mph).
Guangdong was braced for heavy rain, with some areas facing extreme downpours and several rivers at risk of flooding, the official newspaper Guangzhou Daily reported.
It said more than 12,000 people had been evacuated from the sea, while 266,000 residents had been evacuated on land.
