Tropical Storm Nock-ten, which left a path of destruction in the Philippines in the middle of the week, started hitting northern and central Vietnam on Saturday afternoon with strong winds and heavy rains, initial reports said.
The typhoon, the third to hit Vietnam so far this year, was approaching provinces from Thai Binh and Hai Phong in the north to Nghe An in the central region in the afternoon, according to local sources.
The storm is forecast to make landfall in Nghe An and adjoining Thanh Hoa Province on Saturday evening, packed with sustained winds of up to 102 kilometers per hour, the national weather bureau said.
Sources in Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An said the provinces already saw heavy rains that caused flooding in some streets.
The coastal provinces that are to be hit have evacuated their residents.
The national weather bureau said provinces from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh in the central region would suffer from heavy rains on Saturday and Sunday, and the river water levels there would increase rapidly.
The bureau has warned of flash floods and landslides in areas to be hit.
