HANOI, Vietnam -- 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.

Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam are on high alert as Typhoon Wipha continues to sweep across Sout-East Asia since the weekend - damaging homes and infrastructures as well as displacing thousands of people.

Wipha intensified into a severe tropical storm as it blew away from the Philippines on Saturday, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to many areas, including Metro Manila.