Tropical Storm Wipha hits northern Vietnam with strong winds, heavy rain
Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed.
People move a boat from the beach ahead of Typhoon Wipha in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, Jul 21, 2025. (Le Hoang/VNExpress via AP)
HANOI: Tropical Storm Wipha made landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday (Jul 22), bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country’s north and central regions.
The storm came ashore at 10am local time with sustained winds of 64 - 102kmh, and gusts up to 138kmh, according to local weather officials. After landfall, it began moving southwest.
Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land.
The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of capital city Hanoi. Residents rushed to gas stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported.
Meanwhile, the streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas.
Almost 350,000 soldiers were on standby as the state weather agency forecast up to 50cm of rainfall that could cause flooding and mudslides.
Wipha is forecast to weaken to a low-pressure event on Tuesday night, the agency said.
“If the storm is serious, people shouldn’t go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding,” said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi.
Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh put coastal provinces on emergency footing for Wipha, saying it could cause flooding and landslides.
Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed.
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 US$3.3 billion of damage.
