Vietnamese authorities declared a state of emergency as Typhoon Bualoi intensified, with winds reaching 133 km/h, and is expected to strike central Vietnam on Sunday evening.

Several airports were shut down, and more than 15,000 people were evacuated from Ha Tinh province, with thousands of soldiers placed on high alert.

The storm had recently killed ten people in the Philippines. Heavy rains have already caused local flooding in Hue and Quang Tri.