DHAKA: Tens of thousands of people were being evacuated from high-risk areas in central Vietnam on Monday as a typhoon that sank at least two Chinese fishing ships neared the coast.

A total of 75 fishermen are missing after three vessels encountered strong winds near the Paracel Islands, according to a statement on the website of the Hainan government in south China.

Two of the vessels sank on Sunday and contact with the third has been lost, it said, reports The Straits Times.

Typhoon Wutip was expected to hit the central coast later Monday with sustained winds of up to 93 miles per hour and gusts up to 125 mph, Vietnam’s weather forecaster said. Heavy rains were expected.

Disaster official Le Tri Cong said more than 8,000 villagers in Quang Tri province’s coastal areas were evacuated to safe places as of Sunday night and 35,000 others from areas facing with serious flooding, landslides and flash floods are being evacuated.

BDST: 1428 HRS, SEPT 30, 2013
RoR/ADB