Tropical Storm Wipha Batters Northern Vietnam, Bringing Heavy Rain and Prompting Evacuations

Tropical Storm Wipha struck northern Vietnam on Tuesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the northern and central regions. The storm made landfall at 10 am local time, with sustained winds ranging from 64 to 102 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching up to 138 kilometers per hour. Following landfall, the storm began moving southwest.

Initially classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, Wipha weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land. The storm caused power outages in parts of Hung Yen Province, located east of Hanoi. Residents were reported to have rushed to gas stations to purchase fuel for generators.

As the storm moved inland, the streets of Hanoi were largely deserted. Most businesses were closed, and the city government had advised residents to stay indoors and evacuate any unstable buildings or those located in flood-prone areas.

Nearly 350,000 soldiers were on standby as the state weather agency predicted up to 50 centimeters of rainfall, which could potentially lead to flooding and mudslides. The agency also forecast that Wipha would weaken into a low-pressure event by Tuesday night.