With the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) typhoon Molave warning for Central Viet Nam on Wednesday, governments of central coastal localities are taking proactive measures ‘the sooner, the better’, to mitigate the possibly tremendous rage of the upcoming powerful storm. 

Typhoon Molave tracking map (Source: Storm Molave tracking map (Source: General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control)

At 1pm on Tuesday, 27 October, the storm lay centred near latitude 13°5’N and longitude 113°2’E, about 438 km east of Da Nang to Phu Yen provinces , with maximum wind of level 14, and a gust of level 17, according to NCHMF latest watches and warnings.

Molave is moving the west-northwest at about 25kph.

The U.S. Navy forecast typhoon Molave could make landfall in Quang Ngai and neighboring Quang Nam at 1 p.m. on Wednesday with strong gales of 120 kph.

At 1pm on Tuesday, 27 October, the storm lay centred about 438 km east of Da Nang to Phu Yen

Fishing boats from central localities on way to take shelters against the typhoon

Director of the NCHMF Mai Van Khiem said. “This is the strongest storm to hit Viet Nam since the beginning of this year”. Therefore, it is a must-do for the public to stay at home from Tuesday night.

On Tuesday morning, 2 national government-assigned task forces led by Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong started inspecting storm preparedness in parts of central Viet Nam from Da Nang to Binh Dinh.

Given Molave’s high intensity, mandatory mass evacuation of a combined total of over 1.2 million people in in parts of central Viet Nam from Thua Thien-Hue to Phu Yen must be completed no later than 7.00pm onTuesday, Viet Nam's National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

In Da Nang, 35,229 homes, with a combined total of 140,868 people in at-risk areas, have been already evacuated to the safety.

Under the municipal government’s instructions, anyone who does not comply with the mandatory evacuation regulations shall be subject to coercion and administrative penalties in accordance with the laws.

Da Nang public have been urged to stay indoors from 8:00 pm on Tuesday until further notice from the local authorities.

By HOANG HIEP – Translated by A.T