The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control under the National Committee for Search and Rescue has asked its sub-committees in coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Binh Dinh and northern mountainous provinces, relevant ministries and sectors to brace for tropical storm Nida.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

In a notice sent to its sub-committees on July 31, the Steering Committee said the storm was centred at 18.1 degrees north latitude and 122.2 degrees east longitude in the north of Luzon island of the Philippines at 2 pm on the same day.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, in the night of July 31, the storm will enter the East Sea, becoming the second storm to hit Viet Nam so far this year that will directly affect northern midland and mountainous areas.

By 1am on August 1, the storm will be centered at about 20.1 degrees north latitude and 118 degrees east longitude, about 500 km southeast of Hong Kong (China), packing winds of up to 135km per hour.

In the following 24-48 hours, the storm is forecast to move west-northwest at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour and is likely to be stronger.

By 1am of August 2, its centre will be about 21.6 degrees north latitude and 113 degrees east longitude in the southwest waters of Hong Kong-Macau with a maximum wind speed of about 135-150 kilometres per hour.

Typhoon Nida is predicted to cause widespread rain in the northern region.

In his notice, the Central Steering Committee required the provincial and municipal Sub-committees, the Ministries of National Defence, Transport, and Agriculture and Rural Development, the Viet Nam Television, Radio the Voice of Viet Nam, the Vietnam News Agency, and coastal broadcasting stations to keep a close watch on the typhoon’s course.

They were requested to maintain regular contact with ships operating at sea and provide them information on the storm, helping them take suitable preventive measures.

The Border Guard High Command should instruct ships at sea to escape from or not to enter dangerous areas.

Northern mountainous localities need to follow the development of the typhoon, control water level at reservoirs and take plans to prevent rain, flood, flash flood and landslides, the notice said, adding that rescue personnel and equipment must stand ready for any emergency.

(Source: VNA)