Vietnam is bracing typhoon Kujira, which made landfall in the country's northeastern localities on Wednesday noon, according to the national center for hydro- meteorological forecasting.The typhoon brought strong gale of up to level 10-12. The coastal areas of Quang Ninh province (some 120 km east of capital Hanoi) and Hai Phong city (some 90 km east of capital Hanoi) suffered strong gale at level 9-10, the center said on its website.

Coastal localities are witnessing heavy downpours.

The typhoon is forecast to move northwest inland in the coming 24 hours at a speed of 10 km per hour and then weaken into a tropical depression, said the center.

Vietnam's central committee for natural disaster prevention and control has released warnings on floods and landslide in northern mountainous areas.

Kujira is the first typhoon hitting Vietnam so far in 2015.