[Source: Reuters]

Tropical storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday, 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 afternoon with wind speeds of up to 74 kph (46 mph), slowing from around 100 kph 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 50 cm (20 inches) 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 $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 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 U.S. embassy.

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