Typhoon Noru: over 800,000 people being evacuated in Vietnam

Vietnam was evacuating over 800,000 people as powerful Typhoon Noru is speeding up toward the country's central region on Tuesday, state media reported.

People living near the coast where the typhoon is expected to hit have been ordered to take refuge in safe places by Tuesday evening, national television VTV said.

Schools were closed and public events cancelled.

In Da Nang and Quang Nam province, a curfew will be enabled on Tuesday evening. People are forbidden to go out except for those carrying official duties, local TV said.

Flights landing and departing from five airports in the region were cancelled while train services in the area were halted until after the typhoon.

The weather agency forecasts the typhoon can pack winds up to 180 kilometres per hour (111 miles per hour) when it reaches Vietnam in the early hours of Wednesday.

Vietnam is prone to the severe weather with dozens of tropical storms and typhoons hitting its coast every year.

Also watch: Typhoon Noru leaves 5 dead, cause floods, power outage in Philippines