Tropical Storm Wipha makes landfall in Vietnam amid heavy rains in Philippines

Free Malaysia Today

4 days ago

Wipha hit the northern Vietnamese provinces of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa today with wind speeds of up to 74kph. (AP pic)
HANOI : Tropical Storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam today, 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 this afternoon with wind speeds of up to 74kph, 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 tomorrow 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 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 today, 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 this afternoon.
Photos on state media showed empty streets in the capital Hanoi, where many workplaces were closed today, 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 US, 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 167kph at some points, prompting authorities to issue their highest storm warning.