ZAMBOANGA CITY, (AA): Seven fishermen were feared dead as a strong tropical storm exited the Philippines’ area od responsibility Saturday and headed toward south China.

The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a bulletin that search and rescue operations continued for the fishermen who ventured into the rough seas off the northern Aurora province at the height of tropical storm Mujigae — locally named as Kabayan.

Nine boats with 14 fishermen on board sailed Thursday night before going missing, according to the agency. Of the 14, seven have been rescued.

The agency has not reported any injuries or fatalities from the storm as of press time.

The bulletin said that a total of 444 families — or 2,449 people — had been affected by the storm in the eastern provinces of Aurora, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, with 214 of them remaining in six evacuation centers.

Romina Marasigan, an agency spokesperson, told local radio station dzBB interview that some parts of Aurora province continued to experiences power outage, while restoration efforts were ongoing.

The country’s weather bureau PAGASA reported that sea conditions along coastal areas will be moderate to rough, with water travel remaining risky along the western seaboard of northern and Central Luzon island.

PAGASA said the storm continued intensifying as it moved west-northwest toward China at 20 kilometers per hour  (12.4 miles per hour) – data matching that reported by its neighbor’s meteorological authority.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the storm – which has strengthened into a typhoon, the 22nd this year — is forecast to make landfall in Hainan province before noon Sunday with wind speeds of more than 151.2 kilometers per hour at the center.

With the typhoon striking during the seven-day National Holiday, Hainan – made up of numerous islands, some disputed – closed some tourist destinations Saturday, including mountain activities, Xinhua reported.

All sea vessels were ordered to harbor Saturday morning, after trains and ferries between the mainland and Hainan island were suspended the night before.