According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, Storm Prapiroon was positioned over Hainan at 7 a.m. on Monday, moving northwest.
The storm is expected to reach the Gulf of Tonkin by 7 a.m. Tuesday, with maximum wind speeds of 74 kph. It will then move through Mong Cai Town in Quang Ninh Province in the afternoon, entering China’s Guangxi Province and weakening into a tropical depression.
The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts that Prapiroon will approach the Vietnam-China border with wind speeds of 72 kph, while the Hong Kong Observatory forecasts wind speeds of 85 kph.
Due to the storm, the Gulf of Tonkin, which includes Bach Long Vi and Co To islands, experienced strong winds and waves of 2-4 meters high on Monday morning. Quang Ninh Province’s coastal area is expected to face strong winds of 62-74 kph and sea waves of 1.5-2.5 meters high on Tuesday morning.
The storm’s circulation will bring heavy rains to northern Vietnam from Monday night to Wednesday night, with rainfall of 100-200 mm common in coastal and northeastern regions, and some areas receiving over 250 mm.
This is the second major storm in the Vietnamese East Sea this year, following one in May. The meteorological agency notes that this year’s storms are arriving late, with a peak expected between September and November. A total of 11-13 storms and tropical depressions are forecasted for the South China Sea, with five to seven potentially affecting the Vietnamese mainland.
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Source: Vietnam Insider