Heavy rains expected as Tropical Storm Wipha approaches Vietnam's northern coast
As of 6am, Wipha was 60km off the coast of Haiphong City with wind speeds of up to 102kmh, and was moving southwest at a speed of 15kmh, according to the national weather forecast agency.
After making landfall in Hung Yen and Ninh Binh provinces, Wipha is forecast to weaken to a low-pressure event on Tuesday night, the agency said.
No casualties or damage have been reported so far.
Witnesses in Haiphong, an industrial base that is home to key ports, said the wind and rain were moderate on Tuesday morning.
"We are able to go outdoors this morning as the wind is not too strong," said a resident of Cat Ba Island in Haiphong.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh put coastal provinces on emergency footing for Wipha, saying it could cause flooding and landslides.
Airlines have cancelled and rescheduled dozens of flights, and some airport, port and train services have been suspended.
With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that are often deadly. Last year, Typhoon Yagi killed around 300 people and caused US$3.3 billion of damage.
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