170,000 evacuated as Typhoon Ketsana approaches Vietnam’s central coast

170,000 evacuated as typhoon approaches Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam — Authorities in Vietnam have evacuated 170,000 people as Typhoon Ketsana bears down on the country’s central coast.

The storm killed 240 people in the Philippines. It is expected to make landfall in Vietnam later Tuesday afternoon somewhere between the city of Danang and Quang Nam province.

Disaster official Nguyen Van Vy says 170,000 people were evacuated from six central provinces by midday.

Rains and heavy winds began lashing the coast Tuesday morning.