UPDATE 1-'No time to recover': Vietnam prepares devastated central region for typhoon

* Central Vietnam hit by severe storms and flooding
* 'Grave fears for safety of millions', says Red Cross chief
* Vietnam PM says coming storm to be among strongest in 20
years
* Floods in central Vietnam have killed 130
* Vietnam moving 1.3 mln people out of areas at risk

(Adds Red Cross chief's statement; paragraphs 3,4)
By Khanh Vu
HANOI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Authorities in Vietnam were
scrambling on Tuesday to move more than half a million people
out of harm's way ahead of a powerful typhoon set to dump more
heavy rain on a central region devastated by weeks of intense
weather.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled and schools closed in
affected areas as Typhoon Molave approached over the South China
Sea, packing wind speeds of up to 165 kph (103 mph) and expected
to make landfall early on Wednesday.
"We have very grave fears for the safety of millions of
people, as so many have already lost livelihoods and their homes
in huge floods," said Nguyen Hai Anh, head of the Vietnam Red
Cross.
"Now a major typhoon is bearing down on central Vietnam,
giving no one time to recover," added Anh, who called the
typhoon the latest in the "most damaging series of storms we've
ever seen".
Molave will be the fourth storm to hit Vietnam in the past
month, aggravating a crisis that has killed 130 people in floods
and landslides.
Vietnam's disaster agency said 572,000 people needed to be
evacuated by 5 p.m. (0900) on Tuesday. The previous day, the
government said it was readying to move 1.3 million out of
areas at risk. State television broadcast images of troops helping the
elderly on to buses and directing boats to come ashore, while
residents and soldiers piled sandbags on roofs against the
approaching strong winds.
Vietnam's aviation authority has ordered the closure of six
airports in provinces in the path of Molave. It caused flooding
and landslides when it struck the Philippines at the weekend,
killing at least three, Manila's disaster agency said.
Vietnam's prime minister said Molave would be one of the
strongest storms to hit in 20 years, comparing it to Typhoon
Damrey three years ago, which killed more than 100 and caused
property damage of about 22 trillion dong ($949.3 million).
Molave is forecast to hit tourism infrastructure along
central beaches and the Dung Quat refinery in Quang Ngai
province, while bringing heavy rain to the coffee-growing
Central Highlands.
Coffee traders said such rain would hamper the harvest,
which starts from October, and delay the process of drying
beans.
($1=23,174 dong)