Tropical storm Wipha was set to cross Vietnam's northern coastline on Tuesday morning, with almost 350,000 soldiers on standby as the state weather agency forecast up to 50 cm (20 inches) of rainfall that could cause flooding and mudslides.

Vietnam braced for Typhoon Wipha on Monday as coastal provinces were placed on emergency alert and airlines canceled flights ahead of the storm’s expected landfall early Tuesday.

PANO - On July 21, the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army sent a dispatch to all agencies and units in the military to carry out comprehensive measures to respond to typhoon Wipha.

People across Asia have been battling blustery gales, landslides, flooding and heavy rain after Storm Wipha caused havoc across the region. Vietnam is the latest country set to brace for the extreme weather after the tropical storm battered Hong Kong,

The death toll from a tourist boat accident in Vietnam's Halong Bay climbed to at least 38 with several people still missing, the government said, as rescuers continued to search for survivors while bracing for the approach of Typhoon Wipha.

At least eight children were among the dead as the boat carrying 48 tourists capsized in a storm, state media reported. A 10-year-old boy survived in an air pocket.