HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam braced for Typhoon Wipha on Monday as coastal provinces were placed on emergency alert and airlines canceled flights ahead of the storm’s expected landfall early Tuesday.

Vietnam's Prime Minister put coastal provinces on emergency footing for Typhoon Wipha, saying it could cause flooding and landslides, as airlines cancelled flights ahead of the storm's expected landfall early on Tuesday.

Zurich Insurance and other providers reported a lower number of claims a day after Typhoon Wipha lashed the city.

Vietnam is preparing for Typhoon Wipha, with emergency alerts in coastal provinces and flight cancellations. The typhoon threatens to bring severe weather, including heavy winds and floods, to northern mountainous regions and urban areas.

Wipha was a tropical storm over China Sunday evening Eastern time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. The tropical storm had sustained wind speeds of 52 miles per hour.

Asean disaster management officials began conducting a simulation exercise on Monday to review SOPs and improve the region's preparedness to face crises.

Typhoon Wipha caused severe weather in southern China and Hong Kong, leading to flash floods, landslides, and disrupted transportation. Guangdong and other coastal provinces faced heavy rainfall and wind hazards.

Typhoon Wipha is the strongest storm to hit Hong Kong in two years, with average wind speeds exceeding 118 kilometers per hour. The last time the No 10 signal was raised was in 2023 when Super Typhoon Saola struck.