A tropical depression, which is raging on the East Sea, has evolved into storm Krovanh, Viet Nam’s 14^th storm this year. It is on course to move towards the maritime area off southern Viet Nam, especially the cape of Ca Mau, Viet Nam’s southernmost point, in the eponymous province, the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting released the warning in its latest bulletin.   

The expected track of storm Krovanh(Source: The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting)

At 1.00pm on Sunday, the storm’s centre was positioned at about 120km south off (Southwest Cay) Islet on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago, with maximum sustained winds recorded between 60 - 75kph.

Krovanh is traveling in the west-southwestern course at about 10 - 15 kph.

At 1.00pm tomorrow, Tuesday, the storm will have a high likelihood of being located about 120km west of Huyen Tran (Alexandra) bank, packing with maximum sustained winds of levels 8 - 9, with a gale blowing at up level 11, keeping travelling in the same direction and then weakening into a tropical depression.

At 1:00pm on Wednesday, 23 December, the tropical depression is highly likely to stand at about 80km south of Con Dao Island, bearing the maximum winds of levels 6 - 7, and a gust of level 9.

The storm is causing rough seas, high waves, and downpours in the central and southern sections of the East Sea from now onwards, especially triggering waves as high as 5 – 7m in the Truong Sa waters.

In order to proactively respond to the new storm and possible widespread downpours, Viet Nam's National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control is urging the authorities of coastal localities to inform their fishing boats of the predicted movement of the tropical depression, hereby allow them to take the initiative to avoid dangerous areas or seek safe shelters.

Data published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that successive storms, floods and landslides that hit the central region from mid-September to mid-November resulted in 192 deaths, 57 missing and an estimated economic loss of 30 trillion VND ($1.29 billion). In the days to come, the unpleasant wet and cold weather is keeping its rage in Da Nang and elsewhere in mid-central region, showing no signs of subsiding.

Scattered rain and chills are expected to engulf Da Nang and its neighbours namely Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. Average lows are projected to fall to 16 - 20 degrees Celsius in many parts of the three localities.

Meanwhile, the mid-central provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue are projected to shiver in chiller weather as the mercury plummet to as low as 13 – 16 degrees Celsius, and even going down to 12 - 14 degrees Celsius in their mountainous areas.

By HOANG HIEP – Translated by A.T