More than 260,000 soldiers are on standby for rescue efforts as winds of up to 92mph (149km/h) hit the country's coastline, according to Vietnamese media and the government's online portal. Six airports in the country have been forced to close and hundreds of flights are expected to be affected, the government warned. The country, which has already been battling record rains and floods, is now facing one of Asia's strongest typhoons this year.

The typhoon could generate waves of up to 8m (26ft) on the South China Sea, according to Vietnam's weather bureau. The country's environment ministry said on Thursday that "the storm is on land, in the provinces of Dak Lak and Gia Lai" in a statement quoted by various outlets, including the AFP news agency. The Vietnamese national weather forecaster says hundreds of localities in seven cities and provinces are at risk of flooding and landslides in the next six hours.

There have already been reports of damage from several provinces, including roofs torn off homes, shattered glass panels at hotels, and trees uprooted or snapped along city streets and rural roads by powerful gusts. In the Quy Non area, trees have fallen on main roads and windows in hotels have smashed. The typhoon made landfall in Vietnam at 19:29 local time (12:29 GMT). About 30 minutes later, hundreds of residents in two communes of Dak Lak province called for help, local media reported. Many people reported that their homes had collapsed or been flooded, while strong winds and heavy rain continued to batter the area. Dak Lak province is approximately 350km (215 miles) north-east of Ho Chi Minh City. (BBC)