A tropical storm triggered by a low in the East Sea is expected to affect all coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Ca Mau, warns the National Meteorological Forecasting Centre.
The storm – the fourth to threaten Vietnam this year – was fixed at 19.6 degrees north and 115.7 degrees east, or about 520km east of China’s Hainan Island, at noon yesterday.
Gusts near its centre ranged from 62kmph to 74kmph and were gaining strength.
Forecasters say the storm is expected to travel west north-west at 10 to 15kmp during the next 48 hours.
It should be at 20.1 north and 110.4 east between the Leizhou peninsular and Hainan Island by about 10am tomorrow and could generate strong winds and rough seas to the south.
The Flood Prevention and Storm Committee has issued urgent instructions for People’s Committee chairmen of coastal provinces and Hai Phong to prepare for the storm.
The message was sent after the committee met with Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai in Hanoi yesterday afternoon.
The provinces expected to be hit by the storm include Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh.
These provinces must recall all vessel and warn their crew about the storm’s development.
The message asks the provinces and Hai Phong to plan the evacuation of people to safety when necessary, especially those on islands, in tourist precincts or near crucial dykes.
Efforts should also be made to harvest crops and drain those not yet ready to pick as well as protect fish rafts and aqua culture ponds.
Highland officials should prepare for flash floods and provide immediate and accurate reports to the Flood, Prevention and Storm Committee.
Southern floods
Flood caused by heavy rain have killed a boy, 13, drowned livestock and inundated almost 500 houses and 200ha of subsidiary food crops in Phuoc Tan Village of southern Dong Nai Province’s Long Thanh District.
The rain is likely to continue for the next few days, says the provincial Meteorological Forecasting Centre.
Rains accompanied by whirlwinds struck southern Bac Lieu Province during the past three days.
Fifteen houses either lost their roofs or collapsed; at least two people were injured and subsidiary crops were damaged in the Vinh Loi and Gia Rai districts.
Damage is estimated at VND60mil.
On Thursday and Friday, floods triggered by heavy rains submerged more than 200 houses and 200ha of rice as well as about-to-be-harvested vegetables for market.
Waters in all rivers of southern Vinh Long Province were expected to top 1.75m-1.85m, the province’s Flood and Storm Prevention, control and Rescue Committee’s deputy director Nguyen Van Thanh warned yesterday.
