Mirinae strengthens to Cat 1 typhoon just before striking Vietnam

Typhoon Mirinae just barely reached typhoon strength before striking land in south central Vietnam. The storm very quickly diminished to a tropical depression and is continuing to break up as it interacts with land.

Typhoon Mirinae Weakens After Crossing Vietnam Coast (Bloomberg)

Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Typhoon Mirinae weakened to a tropical depression after crossing Vietnam’s southern coast, where authorities had ordered evacuations.

The storm left at least two people dead and eight injured as of 7 p.m. local time in the southern coastal province of Phu Yen, where the storm made landfall today, according to the national Vietnam Television, citing local authorities.

Strong winds and heavy rains are expected in the central and southern coastal areas and the Central Highlands tonight, the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center said on its Web site. People should watch for landslides in mountainous areas and floods in low-lying areas.

The depression will move westward and reach the Cambodian border by 4 a.m. tomorrow with winds of below 39 kilometers (24 miles) per hour before dissipating by Nov. 4, the center said.

About 7,900 people, mostly women, children and elderly residents in Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan provinces, where the storm may make landfall, were evacuated as of 9 p.m. yesterday, Vietnam’s National Committee for Flood and Storm Control said in a statement.

Typhoon slams Vietnam after hitting Philippines (USA Today)

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Tropical Storm Mirinae slammed into Vietnam's central coast Monday, unleashing heavy rains and winds and forcing more than 80,000 people to evacuate before losing steam as it moved inland.

The storm was packing winds of 63 mph as it made landfall in Phu Yen province Monday afternoon, toppling trees and utility poles and causing blackouts, said Nguyen Ba Loc, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

The storm lost force and was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved deeper inland later Monday, according to the national weather forecast center.