Guangxi preps for more typhoon-induced downpours

Southern parts of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region are set to face further heavy rain and strong winds as Typhoon Wipha continues its path toward Vietnam on Monday.

Now downgraded to a tropical storm, Wipha, was located over the Beibu Gulf as of 11:00 am on Monday. It is moving west-southwest at 10 to 15 kilometers per hour and is expected to strengthen before making landfall along Vietnam's northern coast on Tuesday.

The Guangxi Meteorological Observatory has issued a Level III typhoon alert, the third-highest level in its four-tier emergency response system. Further heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast on Monday and Tuesday in some cities in the region, including Fangchenggang and Beihai, with strong winds and short-term gales.

From Sunday to Monday, Wipha had already delivered widespread heavy to severe rainfall across eastern and southern Guangxi. The heaviest downpour was recorded in Nalin town, Bobai county, where 207.3 mm of rain fell.