Storm Wipha unleashes heavy rains, flooding after making landfall in northern Vietnam

Storm Wipha made landfall along Vietnam’s northern coast Tuesday morning, bringing destructive winds, heavy rains, and widespread flooding that disrupted daily life across several provinces.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm hit coastal areas between Hung Yen and Ninh Binh at 10 a.m. with wind speeds of 64–102 kph and gusts reaching 138 kph. Within hours, streets were submerged in Thanh Hoa City, waves battered coastal Ninh Binh, and power outages struck parts of Hung Yen.

In Thanh Hoa Province, torrential downpours inundated multiple areas, with floodwaters rising up to 80 cm in low-lying neighborhoods. Downtown streets turned into rivers, while strong winds ripped tin roofs from houses on the outskirts.

Farther north, Ninh Binh’s famous Ruined Church tourist site witnessed waves reaching 4–5 meters high, flooding the church base and breaching sandbag barriers. Nearby beachfront restaurants were swamped by seawater crashing through glass doors.

Do Son Beach in Hai Phong experienced rising sea levels and fierce waves early Tuesday. Authorities closed coastal routes and set up checkpoints to keep residents away from danger zones.

Hanoi on edge

Though not directly hit, Hanoi saw dark skies and braced for thunderstorms by late afternoon. The capital experienced light morning rain and minimal traffic as businesses encouraged remote work and summer break kept students home.

By 3 p.m., cloud bands associated with Wipha’s circulation hovered over the outskirts, prompting warnings of possible thunderstorms, strong gusts, lightning, and even tornadoes in the next hours.