HANOI, VIETNAM - A STRONG tropical storm is forecasted to slam into Vietnam's southern coast late on Monday, bringing heavy rains to its central and southern provinces which may disrupt the country's coffee harvest, state-run radio said.

Storm Noul was moving fast and its damage could be huge, given it would land in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, where residents have little experience fighting storms, the Voice of Vietnam radio said in an urgent bulletin.

The storm could disrupt oil and gas production off Vietnam's southern coast while heavy rains may halt the coffee harvest about to peak in the country's Central Highlands.