HANOI: Typhoon Wipha (designated as Typhoon No.3 in Vietnam) has caused widespread destruction across several northern and north-central provinces, damaging hundreds of homes, submerging over 119,000ha of rice paddies and triggering multiple dyke incidents.

After making landfall in Vietnam, typhoon Wipha weakened into a tropical depression and gradually dissipated. Although the storm's duration was short, from Monday night to Tuesday, it caused damage in many localities.

Vietnam's Prime Minister put coastal provinces on emergency footing for Typhoon Wipha, saying it could cause flooding and landslides, as airlines cancelled flights ahead of the storm's expected landfall early on Tuesday.

Typhoon Wipha has unleashed torrential rain across multiple regions as it barrels towards Vietnam, with rainfall exceeding 200mm, sparking concerns over flooding and landslides.

Typhoon Wipha has toppled trees and caused major flight disruptions in Hong Kong and at some nearby airports in China as it moved west off the country’s southern coast.

Typhoon Wipha started building up over the South China Sea before hitting Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, and making its way towards Vietnam. Video credit: CSU/CIRA & JMA/JAXA

PANO - On July 21, the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army sent a dispatch to all agencies and units in the military to carry out comprehensive measures to respond to typhoon Wipha.

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.