Typhoon Goni, which tore through the Philippines on Sunday leaving a trail of destruction, has weakened to a tropical storm as it moves over the South China and toward central Vietnam, where it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday or Thursday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.

In its first announcement about Goni, the Met Office predicted more rain and strong winds in northern Thailand on Wednesday and Thursday, as it warned people in the area to brace for continuous rainfall and flash floods.

At 4am this morning, the storm, with 65kph winds at its centre, was located at latitude 14.5^o North – 119.5^o East and was moving west at a speed of 20kph, said the Met Office, adding that it will weaken before it arrives in Vietnam.