Heavy rains have been forecasted for the southern provinces from tonight, November 23, as a tropical depression off the Philippines has strengthened into a storm that could land in Vietnam during the weekend.
According to the Vietnam National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 4 am on November 23, the storm was 450km away from the southern region with a wind speed near the eye of the storm of 75km/h. In the next 24 hours, the storm will move in the south-west-west direction at the speed of 10km per hour.
In the following 24-48 hours, it will move to the west and may land in the south-central coast and the southeastern region before weakening into a tropical depression. It is forecasted that the storm will be in the southeastern region with the wind speed of 40km per hour at 4 pm on November 25.
From November 23 to 26, provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Binh Thuan and the Central Highlands will have up to 50cm of rainfall. Flashflood and landslide warnings have been issued from November 24 to 27 for those who live along the rivers from Quang Tri to Binh Thuan provinces.
Meanwhile, Bui Cao Phap, vice chairman of Phuong Dong Commune, said on November 22 that 20 people had been killed in landslides and flash floods caused in Nha Trang City after heavy rains poured in due to tropical depression Toraji. Dozens of houses have also been destroyed.
Phuong Dong Commune Chairman Dang Loi said they were evacuating 500 households who lived by the hills as the commune might be hit by the new storm and more flash floods and landslides are forecasted.
Khanh Hoa Province has nearly 1,000 vulnerable locations with 280,000 people and 44,000 fish cages. The authorities are also in a hurry to evacuate the locals out of danger zones.
Source: Dtinews
