Over 20,000 fishing boats were called back to harbour by early Monday morning, authorities said.

According to the provincial meteorological observatory, the storm, which weakened from a powerful typhoon Sunday, has unleashed torrential rains in the coastal areas of Shandong, soaking as many as 85 counties and villages.

Muifa, the ninth typhoon to hit China this year, swirled into the East China Sea Friday morning, Xinhua reported.

It is predicted to land somewhere between north China's Liaoning province and North Korea.

A total of 756 temporary shelters have been set up in Liaoning's border city of Dandong. The shelters are capable of accommodating over 1 million people.

Six thousand military personnel are prepared to conduct rescue and repair work after the storm has passed, authorities said.

In Jilin province, the storm is expected to bring high winds and heavy rains, said Wang Xiaoming, an official.