Typhoon Conson to hit Quang Tri - Quang Ngai overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, trigger downpours
Typhoon Conson, Viet Nam’s the fifth storm this year, is due to make landfall near Da Nang overnight Saturday into Sunday morning with its power gradually downgrading. The outer bands of the typhoon are already bringing thunderstorms and gusty winds to central coastal localities from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai and weather conditions will continue to deteriorate in the coming hours as the typhoon approaches the coast.
The typhoon-triggered winds strongly shake trees in Nai Hien Dong Ward, Son Tra District, September 11, 2021. Photo: HOANG HIEP |
Early this morning, September 11, the Ly Son island off the central coastal province of Quang Ngai experienced strong winds at level 6 and gusts approaching level 9. Likewise, some coastal areas of Da Nang started to suffer gusty winds.
As reported by the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHFM), at 4:00am on Saturday, September 11, the typhoon’s centre was positioned at latitude 15°7'N and longitude 110°6'E, about 230km to the east of the coast off Quang Tri - Quang Nam, bearing the maximum sustained winds at level 10 and gusty gales blowing at level 12.
The radius of strong winds from level 6 and gusts from level 8 upwards is about 170km from the typhoon’s centre.
Conson is now on track to travel westward at a slow velocity of 5 km/h.
At 4:00am on Sunday September 12, Conson’s centre is forecast at to be positioned at latitude 15°8'N and longitude 109°4'E, right over the waters off Quang Tri - Quang Nam localities, with the strongest winds level reducing to level 9 and gusts of level 11.
Afterwards, Conson would continue to move on its west-northwestern track at a velocity of 5- 10 km/h, weakening into a tropical depression and moving inland.
At 4:00am on September 13, the tropical depression is projected to be centred at latitude 16°0'N and longitude 107°5'E, right on the mainland of the Quang Tri - Quang Nam localities, downgrading its strength with the strongest winds measured at level 6 and gusts at level 8.
The tropical depression will move in the west-northwestern direction at a velocity of 10 km/h and then downgrade into a post-tropical remnant low.
Under the influence of the typhoon, the waters off localities from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, including Ly Son and Con Co island districts, are bracing for strong winds gradually strengthening on the upward trend, very rough sea and 4-5m high waves.
From Saturday night onwards, the coastal stretch from Quang Tri to Quang Nam will start to see strong winds at levels 6 – 7, with the power strengthening.
From now till September 13, very heavy rain is expected to engulf localities from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai.
In detail, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam is expected to experience a widespread rainfall of 200-300mm per session, and more than 350mm in some places, whilst 100 - 200mm in Quang Ngai.
The expected track of Conson (Source: The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting) |
Addressing a meeting on Friday, Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang stressed a must-do to closely watch the development of the typhoon because its path and progress was very complicated and hard to give accurate forecast.
Local functional agencies must develop a plan to respond to the potential forcecast that the typhoon will make a landfall on Da Nang, and preparations should be ensured at the highest level so that if the worst situation occur, the city must respond to it promptly.
Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh emphasized that the city's viewpoint on storm response and mitigation is to give the top priority to protecting the people's lives and minimising damage caused by the typhoon and handling its consequences to bring life back to normal at the earliest.
The Tho Quang fishing wharf, the largest of its kind in Central Viet Nam, will provide shelter from the storm for fishing vessels hailing from other cities and provinces in a bid to ensure the safety of fishermen first.
Heed should be paid to ensure emergency supplies for potential storm victims and developing plans to ensure the safety of medical facilities, field hospitals, and concentrated quarantine sites in the event of a natural disaster.
After Conson, the East Sea, should expect another 6 - 8 storms and tropical depressions this year, with 2-4 of them directly affecting Viet Nam, national meteorologists said.
Reporting by HOANG HIEP – Translating by A.T