Heavy rains expected as Tropical Storm Wipha approaches Vietnam's northern coast

Hanoi: Tropical storm Wipha was set to cross Vietnam's northern coastline on Tuesday morning, with almost 350,000 soldiers on standby as the state weather agency forecast up to 50 cm (20 inches) of rainfall that could cause flooding and mudslides.

As of 06:00 am, Wipha was 60 km off the coast of Haiphong City with wind speeds of up to 102 kph (63 mph), and was moving southwest at a speed of 15 kph, 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 $3.3 billion of damage.