Flights suspended in Vietnam as typhoon Noru approaches

Da Nang, Phu Bai, Pleiku, Phu Cat and Chu Lai airports were ordered to stop flight services on September 27 – 28, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

In addition, the schedule of flights to and from Vinh, Dong Hoi, Tuy Hoa, Lien Khuong and Buon Ma Thuot airports is expected to be adjusted due to the impact of the typhoon.

At 4am on September 27, Noru was swirling around the eastern part of the Hoang Sa archipelago in Vietnam’s East Sea, packing winds of more than 166kph near its centre.

In the next 12 hours, Noru is forecast to move west at a speed of 20-25kph and is likely to gain further strength. In the next 12 to 24 hours, it is anticipated to head towards the central coast of Vietnam and batter the region at midnight on September 27 or early on September 28.

Noru is one of the most powerful storms to hit the central region over the past 20 years, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The meteorological agency has issued a red alert – the level four out of the five levels of disaster risk – as super typhoon Noru is heading toward the central coast of Vietnam.

The warning has been activated in the coastal localities of Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh which are forecast to be hit hard by the super typhoon.

The meteorological agency also issued a disaster risk warning at level 3 in Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Phu Yen, and Kon Tum provinces.

Noru that developed from a low tropical depression off the Philippines on September 22 reached super typhoon status early on September 25 after suddenly gaining strength.

Noru swept across northern Philippines on September 25, killing at least six and flooding parts of the region.