A Chinese tourist was killed when a tree was uprooted by Typhoon Wipha and crashed onto the beach.

Wang Fang, 52, from Shaanxi, was sheltering with her husband Dai Hongjun, when the tree was blown over by the powerful gusts battering Phuket, Thailand, on Sunday.

The uprooted tree crushed Wang while its branches struck her husband. She reportedly died from the impact at the scene while her spouse escaped with minor injuries.

Police were notified at 5:30 pm local time. They found Wang's mangled body under the tree.

Police Lieutenant Siraphat Chupong of Chalong Police Station said: 'The inquiry officer performed a brief inspection before sending her body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for forensic doctors to conduct a post-mortem examination.'

The couple were part of a tour group that visited the beach on Koh Hey island at around 3:30 pm. Witnesses said the rain and wind were strong when the horrific accident occurred.

Phuket is among Thailand's coastal provinces being pounded by heavy rain and stormy seas from Typhoon Wipha.

In neighbouring Vietnam, a tourist boat was capsized by the storm, leaving dozens of passengers dead. The vessel reportedly overturned after being hit by choppy waves and heavy rain off the coast of Ha Long Bay shortly after 2 pm local time.

The Thai Meteorological Department today predicted more heavy rain and high seas until July 24. It added that around half of Thailand will be battered with increased rainfall due to the typhoon, which made landfall in China's southern Guangdong province on July 20.

Wipha has been downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting mainland China.