Wipha lashes Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rain

The storm came ashore with sustained winds of 64-102km/h and gusts up to 138km/h, according to local weather officials. After landfall, Wipha began moving southwest.

Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land.

The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of Hanoi. Residents rushed to petrol stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported.

The streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas.

"If the storm is serious, people shouldn't go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding," said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi.

Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed.

Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media.

Vietnam has warned of flooding as heavy rain from Storm Wipha moves inland.

At least three people died in the Philippines after Wipha struck the north of the country without making landfall last Friday. More than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and tidal surges over the weekend.

Most government offices and schools in Manila and 10 provinces were shut on Tuesday due to widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains, and troops evacuated residents from villages swamped by knee- to waist-deep water while the coast guard deployed buses and boats to assist stranded commuters.

with AP

Australian Associated Press