SHANGHAI _ Low-lying areas of eastern China were placed on alert Monday over the approach of Tropical Storm Man-Yi.

Despite the warning to coastal residents in Zhejiang province, the storm isn't expected to affect the area before midweek, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing the provincial anti-flooding command.

Man-Yi formed earlier Monday near the Philippines and is on-track to become a typhoon on Wednesday. No direct impact on any land mass is expected.

Zhejiang's caution points to possible lessons learned after Typhoon Saomai, the most powerful storm to hit China in decades, slammed into the province and a neighboring one to the south last year, wrecking houses, ripping ships from their moorings, and killing at least 483 people.

Official media said salvage efforts at that time were slowed by lack of money and personnel.