Typhoon Mekhala formed from a tropical depression over the northwestern Pacific on June 20, according to Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
The storm is the seventh named system to develop in the region this year.
As of 4 pm on June 20, Mekhala was carrying winds of Category 8 with gusts of up to Category 11 and was located about 2,000 km east of the Philippines.
Forecasters said the storm was expected to move west-northwest over the next 24 hours while strengthening, with peak intensity forecast at Category 12 and gusts reaching Category 16.
Around June 24, Mekhala is forecast to approach the northern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines before turning north towards waters east of Taiwan and southeastern Japan.
Current forecasts show no signs that the storm will enter into the East Sea off Vietnam's coast. the weather agency said.
