Nearly 200,000 residents had been evacuated from high-risk areas in coastal localities in the North.
Yesterday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai visited Hai Phong to inspect preparations for the storm.
He urged the city's leaders to raise their sense of responsibility and caution, stressing that if any districts suffered heavy damages from the storm, local leaders would be held responsible.
A report from the National Steering Committee on Flood and Storm Prevention and Control said that a total of 73,395 fishing vessels from northern Quang Ninh Province to central Khanh Hoa Province had been told about the storm's arrival. It added that 1,914 deep-sea fishing boats had sought refuge in coastal ports.
Torrential rains have hit many cities and provinces in the northern region. Daily falls of more than 100mm blanket the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc and Ha Giang.
Hoang Van Thang, acting deputy chief of the storm committee, yesterday told ministries and authorised agencies to inspect reservoirs, and reinforce dykes.
All rescue teams were told to be ready for any emergencies, he said.
Minister of Public Security, General Tran Dai Quang, yesterday told police to join hands with relevant agencies in coping with the storm.
The latest report from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that at 4pm yesterday, the eye of the storm was about 350 km east of Quang Ninh Province's Mong Cai City.
Wind speeds were reaching 167 to 183 km/per hour. The storm is moving west at 20km per hour. When it makes landfall, it is expected to weaken into a tropical low pressure system.
Rough seas with waves up to 6 metres and strong winds were forecast to hit territorial waters in the northern of Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf, the storm centre said.
Northern mountainous provinces have been put on high alert for flash floods and landslides.
He urged the city's leaders to raise their sense of responsibility and caution, stressing that if any districts suffered heavy damages from the storm, local leaders would be held responsible.
A report from the National Steering Committee on Flood and Storm Prevention and Control said that a total of 73,395 fishing vessels from northern Quang Ninh Province to central Khanh Hoa Province had been told about the storm's arrival. It added that 1,914 deep-sea fishing boats had sought refuge in coastal ports.
Torrential rains have hit many cities and provinces in the northern region. Daily falls of more than 100mm blanket the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc and Ha Giang.
Hoang Van Thang, acting deputy chief of the storm committee, yesterday told ministries and authorised agencies to inspect reservoirs, and reinforce dykes.
All rescue teams were told to be ready for any emergencies, he said.
Minister of Public Security, General Tran Dai Quang, yesterday told police to join hands with relevant agencies in coping with the storm.
The latest report from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that at 4pm yesterday, the eye of the storm was about 350 km east of Quang Ninh Province's Mong Cai City.
Wind speeds were reaching 167 to 183 km/per hour. The storm is moving west at 20km per hour. When it makes landfall, it is expected to weaken into a tropical low pressure system.
Rough seas with waves up to 6 metres and strong winds were forecast to hit territorial waters in the northern of Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf, the storm centre said.
Northern mountainous provinces have been put on high alert for flash floods and landslides.
