Showcasing unpredictable and complicated developments, very powerful, fast moving Vamco, the 13^th typhoon to hit Viet Nam this year, has constantly changed its direction over recent hours. Both Vietnamese and international weather forecasters say Vamco is now heading for Ha Tinh – Quang Nam on Sunday morning, with its centre to be moved across Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue.

The expected path of typhoon Vamco (Photo: NCHFM)

At 4pm today, on Saturday, the centre of storm Vamco was located about 190 km east of Da Nang - Thua Thien Hue coast, about 300 km southeast of Quang Tri Province, with maximum sustained wind of level 13 (150kph), near its centre, and a gust of level 15, causing 4 - 6m high sea waves 4-6m high, and fierce rough seas, the Viet Nam's National Center for Hydro-meteorology Forecasting (NCHFM) announced in its latest bulletin.

Over the next 12 - 24 hours, the typhoon is projected to move northwestward at about 20kph and gradually weaken in its intensity.

At 4am on Sunday, 15  November, the centre of Vamco will be located near latitude 16°7’N and longitude 108°1’E, just over the coastal area from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai provinces with the maximum wind intensity falling a bit to level 10, and a gust of level 13.

In the subsequent hours, the typhoon is projected to race the west-northwestward at 15kph, and move into Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue before gradually downgrading its strengths into a tropical depression and then a post-tropical remnant low.

At around 4am next Tuesday, 17 November, the remnants of the typhoon will sweep over Central Laos.

According to projections of international weather services, Vamco is predicted to lose some wind intensity as it approaches Vietnamese coastline. A violent gust of 130 km/h (about 80 mph) is expected as Vamco hit the land. Power outages and downed trees are likely, as well as damage to weak or poorly build structures during the typhoon’s rage.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam’s NCHFM Deputy Director Hoang Phuc Lam warned the current intensity of typhoon Vamco is as strong as Molave –the strongest typhoon in two decades to have hit the coastal and inland Central Viet Nam.

Of special note, when approaching the shore, Vamco has a high likelihood of being significantly weaker than Molave, due to the impact of a cold front.

From Saturday into next Monday, 16 November, a vast central region from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai  provinces will be heavily soaked with a total average rainfall of ranging 200-350mm, even over 350mm in some of their parts. The lesser rain amount hovering at 50-150mm is reported in some parts of Central Viet Nam from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An.

Also, the water levels of rivers in localities from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai could reach the alarm levels 2 -3 due to storm surge.

The Da Nang government has given a nod to set up three task forces, which are ready to respond to emergencies in a timely manner to minimise the human and material loss to the lowest, and address the aftermaths of the typhoon.

By HOANG HIEP – Translated by A.T