Central localities must be on high alert against the upcoming powerful storm Molave, well prepared for the impacts of extreme weather, plan ahead and take action to minimise the human and material loss to the lowest.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivering storm responding instructions at the Monday virtual meeting

The urgent instruction was delivered by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a virtual meeting on Monday morning to respond to any possible impact of the upcoming storm Molave.

If the storm comes as strong as forecast, rains and floods many cause extremely huge damage, the national government chief warned of the impact of storm Molave. 

According to Director of the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Centre (NCHFM) Mai Van Khiem, said both Vietnamese and Japanese forecasters say the rapidly moving storm could make landfall anywhere from Quang Nam, Quang Ngai to Binh Dinh.

Forecasters said the powerful storm, with its disaster risk level 4, could hit Vietnamese coastline on Wednesday morning, and then whip over Central Viet Nam.

On Wednesday morning, the centre of the storm is set to be located at around 200 km from the coast of Quang Ngai to Binh Dinh with a maximum wind speed of 135 kph, causing waves of up to 10 m.

Storm Molave tracking map (Source: The National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Centre)

NCHFM issues weather warnings when severe weather has the potential to impact localities stretching over 1,000 km of Vietnamese coastline from Nghe An to Phu Yen that could be hit by torrential downpours and strong winds from Tuesday into Thursday, with rainfall of between 200-400 mm.

Deputy Dead of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Tran Quang Hoai, given Molave’s high intensity, mandatory mass evacuation will be imposed on a combined total of over 1.2 million people in seven central provinces from  Ha Tinh to Binh Dinh.

Till date, 45,000 fishing boats of the total 65,000 fishing boats operating along the coast of Central Viet Nam have access warnings against the storm.

In total, more than 368,000 people, including officers and men from armed forces and volunteers will be sent to assist residents in at-risk locations.

A satellite image showing that Molave’s centre is moving westwards with the maximum sustained winds of level 12, with a gale of level 14

NCHFM is urging people to avoid storm-sparked flooded areas along the rivers and move their personal belongings to higher ground. For those traveling, never drive through flooded roads as the depth of water could be too great to pass and should turn around so they do not risk their lives.

It must be worth noting that, storm Molave is as powerful as storm Damrey, which wreaked havocs in south central Viet Nam in November 2017. At that time, Damrey claimed a total of over 100 lives there, damaged over 130,000 houses, and caused 22,000 billion worth of material loss.

Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Le Trung Chinh delivering instructions art the Monday meeting

Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Le Trung Chinh asked the compulsory evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas citywide and the anchorages by fishing boats to be completed by 3pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Builders are required to immediately stop the operation of overhead tower cranes, lower anchor hooks at the construction sites for high-rises and tenements which might pose danger to by-passers.

All schools across Da Nang will be closed on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday for the safety of teachers and students.

By TRIEU TUNG, HOANG HIEP – Translated by A.T