VOV.VN - Northern and north-central provinces of Vietnam are racing against time as Typhoon Wipha continues to strengthen after entering the Gulf of Tonkin, with landfall expected on the morning of July 22.

Storm No. 3, internationally known as Typhoon Wipha, passed north of China’s Leizhou Peninsula on the morning of July 21 and entered the northern Gulf of Tonkin, posing a growing threat to Vietnam’s northern and north-central coastal regions,

Wipha has remained steady but its winds are forecast to increase from 88 kph to 89-117 kph as it intensifies and hits the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam’s coast.

VOV.VN - The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has decided to temporarily suspend flight operations at Van Don international airport in Quang Ninh province and Cat Bi international airport in Hai Phong city from 11:00 p.

Wipha, the third storm to hit Vietnam this year, is expected to bring torrential rains from tonight until Wednesday, particularly in the northeastern and central regions.

Vietnam is preparing for Typhoon Wipha, with emergency alerts in coastal provinces and flight cancellations. The typhoon threatens to bring severe weather, including heavy winds and floods, to northern mountainous regions and urban areas.

The thunderstorm came so suddenly that it overturned the boat within seconds, said two survivors of the shipwreck which killed at least 35 people in Vietnam's top tourist spot of Halong Bay and left another four missing.

Travellers to Vietnam have been warned to “expect travel disruption” as a tropical storm approaches tourist hotspots on its northern coast. Storm Wipha is forecast to bring heavy rain, strong winds and flooding when it makes landfall on Tuesday.