Vietnam. Roofs and billboards flew over the city. “One of the most powerful typhoons of the decade”

Vietnamese authorities said on Saturday that Super Typhoon Yagi hit Vietnam at around 1 p.m. local time. The force of the storm was carrying winds of 160 kilometers per hour. Earlier storm passed over the Philippines and the Chinese province of Hainan, in both regions causing massive damage.

The eye of the typhoon made landfall near the city of Haiphong, one of Vietnam's largest industrial centers. Authorities said power outages occurred in parts of the city on Saturday.

The impact sent metal roofing sheets and advertising signs flying through the sky. The wind shattered glass windows and snapped tree branches. The city streets were deserted as citizens heeded the government's call to stay indoors. The Vietnamese Crisis Management Center had been urging caution since Thursday.

The storm rapidly strengthened, becoming one of the most powerful typhoons in the region in the past decade, the service said.

In preparation for the storm, nearly 50,000 residents of coastal cities were evacuated and 450,000 military personnel were mobilized. Four airports, including the busy Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, the capital, were suspended for several hours on Saturday. Schools in 12 provinces were also closed.

Typhoon Yagi is the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year. On Friday, it swept across the Chinese island of Hainan, where it reportedly killed three people and injured dozens. It also killed at least 16 people in the Philippines, where it passed earlier this week.