Mass evacuations in Vietnam for typhoon Nari

HANOI: Vietnam is evacuating tens of thousands of people in the path of Typhoon Nari, state media said Monday, after the powerful storm left 13 dead in the Philippines.

Nari is expected to slam into central Vietnam on Tuesday morning, after ripping off rooftops, toppling trees and triggering flash floods in the northern Philippines over the weekend.

"Very strong winds are expected from later Monday. There might be heavy rains of up to 500 millimetres (20 inches) over the next few days," said Bui Minh Tang, head of Vietnam's national weather forecast centre.

Authorities in the central provinces of Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang were moving roughly 66,000 people in vulnerable coastal area to safety, according to the state-controlled Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Boats have been urged to seek shelter and food has been prepared for residents in case of prolonged flooding, reports said.

Vietnam is hit by around eight to 10 tropical storms every year, often resulting in loss of life and heavy material damage.