Tens of thousands evacuated as storm hits Vietnam

Tropical Storm Mindulle has slammed into Vietnam’s north-central coast, knocking down trees and blowing off roofs as authorities evacuate tens of thousands of people from high-risk areas, disaster officials said today.

Weather forecasters said Mindulle strengthened today as it moved across the South China Sea packing winds of 73 mph.

The tropical storm, the third to hit the country this year, made landfall on the coast today in the provinces of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa.

Disaster official Nguyen Huu Nhung of Nghe An said strong winds knocked down many trees and blew off roofs of houses in the city of Vinh, the capital of the province.

He said authorities had begun evacuating an expected 74,000 people from coastal villages.