BEIJING - China is expected to battle the strongest typhoon this year as Typhoon Megi intensified into a super typhoon Sunday, China"s National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

Typhoon Megi, which means "catfish" in Korean, is heading for Northern Luzon at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour after it turned into a super typhoon early Sunday. It is expected to enter the South China Sea on Monday, said the NMC.

With winds near the center reaching more than 56 meters per second, the super typhoon could cause wild winds and huge waves in the South China Sea in the next three days, it said.

The NMC issued an orange alert, the second-highest-level alert, for strong winds at 10 a.m, warning vessels to take shelter in ports and urging local authorities to prepare for emergencies in the upcoming strong winds and rain storms.