Typhoon Noru wreaked havoc as it passed through central Vietnam on Wednesday, ripping off roofs and causing power outages.
Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes and seek shelter after the storm killed at least ten in the Philippines.
High-rise buildings shook in Danang, Vietnam’s third-largest city, as Typhoon Noru made landfall early Wednesday. Winds of up to around 120 kilometers per hour were also reported, the national meteorologist said.
Local media reports showed that at least 300,000 people across Vietnam had to seek shelter overnight after weather experts warned the storm would be the biggest ever to hit the country.
Although Typhoon Noru had weakened to a tropical storm Wednesday night as it crossed into southern Laos, forecasters in Vietnam said there were still risks of severe flooding and landslides.
The Hoai River in the popular tourist city of Hoi An nearly burst its banks. Roads and highways remained blocked after metal roofing sheets and trees fell, damaging some cars and obstructing traffic.
State media also reported that around 300 houses in the coastal province of Quang Tri lost their roofs on Tuesday after winds started to pick up speed.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Defense Ministry has mobilized at least 200,000 militiamen and 40,000 soldiers equipped with armored vehicles and boats to carry out rescue operations.
While some shops, provincial offices, and airports reopened on Wednesday, key sections of the highway linking Hanoi in the north with the commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City in the south remained closed due to flooding and mudslides.
Typhoon Noru made landfall in Vietnam after hitting the Philippines earlier this week, with winds reaching up to 120 mph. According to the civil defense office, at least ten people were killed, and eight were missing.
Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department said Storm Noru would hit Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen before gradually weakening into a tropical depression.
Thai authorities issued warnings of heavy rain and possible flash flooding, asking people in high-risk areas to prepare to evacuate their homes.
