Super Typhoon Nepartak, one of the strongest storms in the world so far this year, is expected to hit Taiwan early Friday morning local time before moving to China.
Nepartak, which means "warrior" in Micronesian, is the third storm this year to reach a Category 5 level. Wind gusts inside the typhoon have been recorded reaching up to 201 mph late Thursday evening.
The powerful typhoon has already on Thursday churned huge waves and heavy winds on Taiwan's coasts -- grounding fishing boats, commercial ships and planes, according to The Associated Press. Hong Kong's two biggest airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair, said they have canceled flights to and from Taiwan.
Asia TyphoonThe Associated Press
Asia Typhoon
Nepartak is expected to weaken slightly before making landfall early Friday morning in Taiwan's eastern port city of Halien. Wind gusts up to 167 mph and rainfall of up to 20 inches is expected.
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The storm will likely weaken after it passes through the island nation's high mountains before making landfall later Friday in China.
PHOTO: A Taiwanese coast guard keeps watch on the coastline of Yilan as typhoon Nepartak approaches the east of Taiwan, July 7, 2016, in Yilan, Taiwan.Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images
A Taiwanese coast guard keeps watch on the coastline of Yilan as typhoon Nepartak approaches the east of Taiwan, July 7, 2016, in Yilan, Taiwan.more +
China's southeastern coast is expected to experience wind gusts up to 115 mph. However, the biggest threat to China is the heavy rainfall that will likely cause severe flooding.
With much of the country's southeastern coast already saturated from a record amount of rainfall over the past several weeks, major flash flooding is expected in China on Friday and Saturday.
PHOTO: People take shelter at the community center as typhoon Nepartak approaches the east of Taiwan, July 7, 2016, in Yilan, Taiwan.Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images
People take shelter at the community center as typhoon Nepartak approaches the east of Taiwan, July 7, 2016, in Yilan, Taiwan.more +
Super Typhoon Nerptak is not expected to hit the Philippines, which is still recovering from devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, the AP reported. However, the new storm is forecast to intensify seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines' northern islands, causing some domestic flights there to be canceled.
ABC News' Max Golembo contributed to this report.