Authorities are on high alert for rapidly intensifying Typhoon Noru which is expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching Thailand's Northeast on Thursday and exacerbate woes in already flooded areas that lie in its path.

According to Tuesday's forecast by the Meteorological Department, Noru is expected to make landfall in Vietnam on Wednesday before weakening to a tropical storm and moving across Laos and then to the Northeast of Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen on Thursday evening.