A typhoon heading for Vietnam has caused rainstorms and gales in a southern Chinese province.

Rainstorms caused flight cancellations in the island province of Hainan on Saturday as Typhoon Son-Tinh drew closer to Vietnam.

Heavy rain and gales hit the city of Sanya on Saturday afternoon as the typhoon made its way across the sea 80 miles south of the island..

Chinese meteorological authorities have ranked Son-Tinh as a level two typhoon, it has wind speeds of up to 89 miles per hour.

The typhoon, did not make landfall in China, but is expected to make landfall in northern Vietnam's coastal regions on Sunday evening.

Over 6,300 travellers were stranded at the Phoenix International Airport in Sanya on Saturday, as winds disrupted 140 flights.

Some passengers were transferred by bus to another airport in Haikou, a city further north, and about 2,000 stranded passengers were forced to stay in local hotels on Saturday night.

More than 82,300 residents have been relocated to temporary shelters following the rainstorms.

Train and shipping services from Hainan island were also suspended.