Vietnam evacuated thousands of people from central and northern provinces Sunday as Typhoon Bualoi raced toward the country faster than expected with landfall forecast later in the day.

The storm was expected to bring winds of up to 133 kph (83 mph), storm surges of more than a meter (3.2 feet) and heavy rains that could trigger flash floods and landslides.

At 4 am Sunday, Vietnam’s weather agency said Bualoi was about 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of central Vietnam and moving northwest. It was expected to make landfall around 6 pm between Quang Tri and Nghe An provinces.

Authorities banned fishing boats from going to sea in northern and central regions and ordered evacuations in vulnerable areas by 5 pm Sunday. State media reported Da Nang planned to relocate more than 210,000 peopl

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