Beijing - China evacuated around 1 million people from south-eastern coastal areas as deadly Typhoon Morakot approached Sunday, local media reported.

More than 473,300 residents from Zhejiang Province as well as at least 480,000 in neighbouring Fujian had been relocated, and 35,440 ships had returned to shore as Morakot moved towards the coast at a rate of 10 kilometres per hour, official Xinhua news agency reported.

The two provinces were already experiencing strong winds and rain, according to local weather reports.

Zhejiang registered a maximum wind speed of nearly 180 kilometres per hour in the coastal Taizhou City area on Sunday morning, and coastal authorities have warned of waves of up to 7 metres, Xinhua said.

Shanghai, just north of Zhejiang, is also on high alert and municipal flood control authorities have reportedly released stored water from inland rivers in preparation for heavy rains.

Morakot, which left at least 6 people missing and one dead in Taiwan, was expected to make landfall in China early Sunday evening.(dpa)