Storm Wipha prompts vehicle protection measures across northern, north-central Vietnam

Authorities warned of downpours and possible flooding as the storm was expected to make landfall in the northern region later in the day.

Many residents moved personal vehicles, especially cars, into covered or elevated spaces to avoid water damage in low-lying areas.

Social media users in the country have shared storm-preparation tips, while several apartment complexes and residential areas issued notices offering free underground parking to help residents protect their vehicles during heavy rain.

At 7:00 am local time, Wipha was located about 220 km east of Quang Ninh–Hai Phong and was moving west-southwest at 15–20 kph, according to Vietnam’s national weather forecasting center.

Maximum sustained winds near the storm’s center were recorded at level 9 (75–88 kph) on the Beaufort scale, with gusts reaching level 11 (103–117 kph).

The storm had weakened after crossing southern China’s Guangdong Province but was expected to intensify again as it enters the Gulf of Tonkin.

Over the next 24 hours, Wipha is forecast to move west-southwest at 10-15 kph, reaching the northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin, with wind speeds of level 10-11 (89-117 kph), gusting to level 14 (150-166 kph).

It will then head toward Vietnam’s northern coast, expected to make landfall between Hai Phong City and Thanh Hoa Province before weakening into a tropical depression.