Roll-on and roll-off passenger ferry services in the Qiongzhou Strait have been suspended since 3 p.m. Tuesday, and passenger rail services to and from the southern island province were also halted, reports Xinhua news agency. 

Packing winds up to 15 metres per second near its center, the tropical depression is expected to affect the eastern and southern parts of Hainan, the coastal areas of Guangdong and southwestern Guangxi, as well as the South China Sea, the Beibu Gulf and the Qiongzhou Strait, according to the provincial meteorological bureau. 

It will bring up to 160 mm of precipitation and gales up to 28.4 metres per second to the above areas from 2 p.m. Wednesday to 2 p.m. Thursday, the bureau said.