Typhoon Talim, the first to hit Vietnam this year, was spotted on the mainland of China’s southern Guangxi Province as of 10:00 am on Tuesday and some 60km northeast of Mong Cai City in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province, packing winds of 75-88km per hour, the Vietnamese national weather center said.

Due to the impact of the typhoon, some localities in northern Vietnam such as Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh experienced strong winds ranging between levels six and seven.

By 4:00 pm on Tuesday, Talim is expected to move west-northwest at around 20km per hour before weakening in the Vietnam - China border area.

The typhoon is likely to maintain the same direction at 20-25 km per hour over the next 24 hours.

It could be located in the mainland of provinces in northwestern Vietnam as of 10:00 am on Wednesday and continue to dissipate.

Hoang Ba Nam, Party chief of Mong Cai City, said heavy rains and strong winds began hitting the city on Monday evening.

Talim is forecast to land in Quang Ninh on Tuesday afternoon, Nam said.

To cope with the typhoon, authorities in Mong Cai have adopted preventive measures, including asking fishing boats to take shelter, evacuating over 2,000 residents from floating fish farms, and dispatching forces to monitor vulnerable areas.

The national weather center forecast that heavy downpours will strike northern mountainous provinces, including Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, and Lang Son, between Tuesday and Wednesday, with rainfall expected to reach 150-250mm.

Similarly, medium to heavy rains are likely to hit north-central provinces such as Nghe An and Thanh Hoa, with precipitation of 50-100mm.

Urban and low-lying areas may face flooding triggered by torrential rains.

Northern border provinces, namely Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai, should stay alert to possible flash floods and landslides, the center warned.​

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!