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.

Wipha has remained steady but its winds are forecast to increase from 88 kph to 89-117 kph as it intensifies and hits the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam’s coast.

Vietnam's Prime Minister put coastal provinces on emergency footing for Typhoon Wipha, saying it could cause flooding and landslides, as airlines cancelled flights ahead of the storm's expected landfall early on Tuesday.