Vietnam orders evacuations and closes airports as Typhoon Yagi approaches

A man rides motorcycle in the rain caused by Typhoon Yagi in Hanoi, Vietnam (Hau Dinh/AP)

Vietnam’s northern provinces closed airports and evacuated residents as Typhoon Yagi is set to make landfall on Saturday afternoon after killing two people and injuring nearly 100 others in the Chinese province of Hainan.

Vietnamese meteorological authorities described Yagi as “one of the most powerful typhoons in the region over the past decade”. It has wind speeds between 150-166 kilometres per hour (93-103 miles per hour), meaning it is at a level 14 or a strong typhoon, state media said.