Heavy rains expected as Tropical Storm Wipha approaches Vietnam's northern coast
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The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Tropical storm Wipha weakens, heavy rain and strong winds expected across Thailand
BANGKOK: Tropical storm Wipha weakens into a depression, but heavy rain and strong winds are still expected in Thailand, with a risk of flash floods and rough seas. The strong southwest monsoon continues to dominate the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, while the monsoon trough stretches across upper Myanmar and upper Laos, the Thai Meteorological Department said on Wednesday (July 23). At the same time, severe tropical storm Wipha has been downgraded to a tropical depression over Xiangkhouang province, Laos, and is expected to weaken further into an active low-pressure system. Despite this, isolated heavy rain and strong winds are still likely across Thailand. The North, Northeast, Central, and East regions may experience very heavy rainfall, with the possibility of flash floods and overflows, especially along waterways near foothills and lowlands. Residents in these areas are advised to remain vigilant. In the Andaman Sea, strong winds will cause waves to reach 2–4m in height, and over 3m during thundershowers. The lower Andaman Sea and upper Gulf will see waves of 2–3m, with thundershowers pushing the waves above 3m in some areas. All vessels in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf should proceed with caution and avoid thundershowers. Small boats in these areas should stay ashore. - The Nation/ANN
AsiaOne
3 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Tropical Storm Wipha makes landfall in Vietnam; heavy rains persist in Philippines, Asia News
HANOI/MANILA — Tropical storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday (July 23), with authorities on alert due to heavy rains that could cause flooding and mudslides, as the Philippines struggled with monsoon downpours that began last week. Wipha hit the northern provinces of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa early on Tuesday (July 22) afternoon with wind speeds of up to 74kph (46mph), slowing from around 100kph on its approach, the national weather forecasting agency said. With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that are often deadly and Wipha is the first major storm to hit this year. Heavy rains of up to 50cm were forecast to continue until Wednesday morning, and authorities warned people to watch out for landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in urban areas. Around 350,000 soldiers were put on standby. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had put coastal provinces on emergency footing as Wipha neared, with residents nervous after the devastation of Typhoon Yagi, which last year killed around 300 people and caused US$3.3 billion (S$4.2 billion) of damage. "I have learnt from last year's mistakes, when we underestimated Yagi," Ngo Van Thuong, a 40-year-old warehouse manager in Ha Long City, told Reuters as the storm neared. "Doorways and roofs are places that need more attention, and, since yesterday, I have also put sandbags on top of the roof," Thuong said. A fishing boat in Quang Ninh province capsized early on Tuesday, but all nine of the fishermen on board were saved, the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported. Airlines cancelled and rescheduled dozens of flights, and some airport, port and train services were suspended, though state media reported that airports in Quang Ninh and Haiphong had resumed operations on Tuesday afternoon. Photos on state media showed empty streets in the capital in Hanoi, where many workplaces were closed on Tuesday, including the US embassy. "We haven't forgotten about Yagi, and have taken extra measures to cope with Wipha," said a resident of Cat Ba Island in Haiphong. Flooding, closures in Philippines In the Philippines, Wipha has intensified already torrential monsoon rains, triggering knee-to waist-deep flooding across parts of the country and forcing a second day of school closures, flight cancellations and the suspension of government work. Thousands of families remain in evacuation centres as relentless rains, which swept through the country's north last week, continue to batter the country. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, currently on an official visit to the United States, said government agencies had been mobilised to provide assistance. "Relief goods are ready and are being delivered to affected areas, along with medical teams," Marcos said in a recorded message. "We're ensuring transport, electricity, and water supplies are stable for those affected." On Sunday, Wipha, then at full typhoon strength, barrelled across Hong Kong and southern China. As the storm passed Hong Kong, more than 110mm of rain fell within three hours and maximum wind gusts exceeded 167 kph at some points, prompting authorities to issue their highest storm warning. [[nid:720447]]
AFP
3 hours ago
- AFP
Old clip falsely linked to fatal tour boat accident in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay
"Vietnam: A tourist boat sank while traveling in Ha Long Bay after facing strong sudden winds from storm Wipha, causing 34 fatalities,' reads the Thai-language caption on an X post dated July 19, 2025. The caption continues: "Authorities are urgently searching for dozens of missing individuals." The post includes a video of a boat being lashed by wind and rain before slowly tilting to the right and capsizing. At least 35 people were killed when the tourist boat capsized during a storm on July 19 in what some have called Ha Long Bay's worst disaster (archived link). Image Screenshot of the false X post, with a red X added by AFP However, local media quoted the director of the country's National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting saying the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. The same video of the boat sinking was linked to the July disaster elsewhere on X and Facebook, as well as in English and Burmese-language posts. But a reverse image search on Google found the video was published online months earlier in reports about a different storm. The footage was published on the verified Facebook page of Vietnamese media outlet VTC News on September 7, 2024 with the caption "Tourist boat capsizing in Ha Long Bay" (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison between the false X post (L) and the video posted on Facebook by VTC News Other Vietnamese media outlets published the clip in reports from September 7 and 8, 2024 about storm number three -- the local name for Typhoon Yagi (archived links here and here). The super typhoon killed at least 197 people in Vietnam as its associated heavy rains brought flooding and caused landslides. Thousands more had to be evacuated as the storm disrupted export lines across the Red River delta (archived link). Shipwreck Log, a blog that documents shipwrecks and maritime accidents, reported that several boats were damaged or sunk as Typhoon Yagi made a landfall in Vietnam and included the same footage of the black and white ship sinking (archived link). The tourist ferry that capsized in July 2025 can be seen in AFP photos that show a blue and white vessel with different railings.
