Residents of Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Quang Tri have been reinforcing their homes and bringing ships ashore since Thursday morning to prepare for Storm Noul's imminent landfall. 

In Da Nang, police and border guards of Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District help fishermen bring their boats ashore Thursday morning to prepare for the incoming storm. Around 200 vessels have been secured, said Vo Dinh Cong, chairman of Tho Quang.

Da Nang and six localities from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai banned boats from venturing out to sea since Wednesday afternoon.

A boat is brought to shore in Man Quang Bay in Da Nang at noon Thursday.

Some boats are hauled by cranes onto the sidewalk to avoid traffic congestion before the storm.

Patrolling border guards remind people to anchor their vessels at appropriate locations and record the numbers of boats brought to shore.

Hundreds of vessels shelter in Tho Quang to avoid Noul. As of noon Thursday, 615 ships and boats, 301 of which hail from Da Nang, have been anchored here, said the Management Board of Tho Quang Lock and Fishing Port.

In Thua Thien-Hue, dozens of fishing vessels are safely anchored in Thuan An Estuary. To avoid collision damage, all boats are tied closely together.

Locals in Thuan An Town use sand bags to reinforce their roofs and prevent winds from blowing them off.

Residents of Thuan An load sand bags onto their roof in preparation for the incoming storm.

In Quang Nam, employees at Tam Ky Urban Public Services Jsc prune trees ahead of the storm.

"Pruning trees is a regular activity during storm season," said Bui Ngoc Anh, chairman of Tam Ky.

Cao Van Minh, 71, wears a raincoat while using wires to secure the roof of the workshop in front of his house in Phu Ninh District in place.

"This type of roof tiles is often blown away by the wind, so upon hearing news of the incoming storm, our family had to buy wire to hold them in place," he said.

Toiling since noon Thursday, farmers in Quang Tri rush to harvest rice. The province still has around 1,000 ha of paddy fields yet to be harvested.

Storm Noul, the fifth to form on the South China Sea this year, is expected to make landfall around Friday afternoon in central Vietnam, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.