Parma appeared to have an eye even though it was only a tropical depression when it reached northern Vietnam.
The epic journey of Typhoon Parma entered a third week with the storm lashing southern China's Hainan Island and far northern Vietnam.
Parma formed during late September in Micronesia before unleashing disastrous flooding and mudslides as it stalled and weakened across the northern Philippines.
It failed to regain much strength over the South China Sea, crossing Hainan as a tropical storm and making landfall near Hanoi as a tropical depression.
Chinese officials say Parma caused about $3.6 million in damage to crops.
Heavy seas churned up by the storm off Hainan caused a boat to overturn, killing three people when they were tossed into the sea.
Typhoon Parma Track
Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS