Residents of northern localities on November 10 were braced for heavy rains and flooding while and those in coastal areas were asked to take shelter as super typhoon Haiyan moved towards the country after devastating the Philippines.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and other Government officials toured the central province of Ha Tinh to inspect preparations for supper-typhoon Haiyan, which is forecast to make landfall in the country on November 10.

He urged the provincial authorities to promptly call for all fishermen to go ashore and evacuate residents living in coastal areas to safer places with enough food, fresh water and necessary commodities.

According to the National Hydrometeorology Forecasting Centre, as of 2 pm on November 10, typhoon Haiyan, which swept across the Philippines with about 10,000 people feared dead, was 270 km east of the central province of Quang Tri .

In the next 12 hours, the storm will move north-westward, speeding 30-35 km per hour, and reach north-eastern coast at 1 pm of November 11.

Residents in central and northern localities were braced for the typhoon, the 14 th to hit Vietnam this year.

In the northern province of Quang Ninh, about 1,000 households in Ha Long Bay and by the coast dykes have been evacuated to higher places.

Torrential rain and strong wind were forecast to strike the northern provinces from November 10-12 in the wake of typhoon Haiyan.

Rain started to fall in the capital city Hanoi . All soldiers and officials of the Capital High Command were ordered to remain on duty round-the-clock. Districts as well as agencies located in the city were requested to keep a close eye on the development of the storm to make prompt response.

In the northern port city of Hai Phong , the provincial Border Guard on November 10 called 2,089 vessels ashore safely.

Guidance and information on the course of the storm were sent to 4,100 other fishing vessels with nearly 12,000 fishermen aboard to help them quickly find refuge.

Thousands of residents in low areas have been evacuated to safer places.

Efforts are being made to send 6,334 people living by the coast in Tien Hai and Thai Thuy district in northern Thai Binh province to higher ground.

Five deaths have been reported in the central provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Thua Thien Hue while preparing to escape the storm.-VNA