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Vietnam braced for typhoon's fury Typhoon Xangsane hits Vietnam
(about 11 hours later)
Vietnam has begun to evacuate more than 180,000 of its citizens ahead of Typhoon Xangsane, which has killed 61 people in the Philippines. Typhoon Xangsane has hit the central Vietnamese city of Danang and stretches of coastline around it.
The typhoon is due to hit central Vietnam early on Sunday. Trees were uprooted and boats capsized as heavy rain and winds of up to a 180km/h (110mph) hit Danang.
Civil defence agencies say nine of Vietnam's provinces are on alert, with fishing boats called back to port. There are no reports of casualties but hundreds of fishermen are still at sea. Authorities had reinforced sea defences and evacuated abut 200,000 residents.
The Vietnamese government was criticised for being slow to react to a typhoon in May, says the BBC's correspondent in Hanoi. Typhoon Xangsane pounded central and northern Philippines earlier this week, destroying hundreds of homes.
Homes destroyed "This is one of the most powerful typhoons to hit Vietnam since 1995," Bui Minh Tang of Vietnam's weather centre told AP news agency.
Then, more than 200 fishermen were killed because fishing vessels had not been warned of the approaching storm. National carrier Vietnam Airlines said it had cancelled 48 domestic flights. Trains with thousands of passengers were reportedly stuck in the region.
Authorities in central Quang Ngai province said they were evacuating thousands of people inland out of danger. However the BBC's Bill Hayton in Hanoi says the effects of the typhoon seem localised so far, with the towns of Hue and Quang Ngai - about 100km (60 miles) to the north and south respectively - reporting conditions that are not so bad.
"The wind is getting stronger and stronger here, we expect the storm to make landfall late tonight or very early tomorrow morning," an official in the city of Danang said. Xangsane caused severe damage in the Philippines, leaving many roads and bridges impassable. Dozens of people are still missing there.
Vietnam Airlines said it was not allowing any domestic flights to take off. International flights will take alternative routes to avoid the storm.
Typhoon Xangsane, packing winds of up to 130km/h (80 mph), pounded central and northern Philippines earlier this week.
Hundreds of homes were destroyed, and floods have left many roads and bridges impassable. Dozens of people are still missing.
The typhoon was the strongest to hit the capital, Manila, in 11 years, weather officials said.The typhoon was the strongest to hit the capital, Manila, in 11 years, weather officials said.
Government offices and schools in Manila remained closed on Friday as emergency crews worked to fix power lines and clear fallen debris. Government offices and schools there remained closed on Friday as emergency crews worked to fix power lines and clear fallen debris.
Landslides
Xangsane was "one of the worst devastations that Manila has experienced," the city's Mayor, Lito Atienza, told local radio.
President Gloria Arroyo held an emergency meeting with energy and civil defence officials, and ordered a speedy restoration of basic services.
Some of those killed included a man who fell into a river in central Antique province, and a man hit by a falling tree in Albay province.
Many other people are missing in the town of General Trias where an irrigation dyke collapsed, a local official told the Associated Press news agency.
More than 60,000 people have reportedly been affected by the aftermath of the typhoon - landslides, floods and wind damage to agriculture and infrastructure.More than 60,000 people have reportedly been affected by the aftermath of the typhoon - landslides, floods and wind damage to agriculture and infrastructure.