Viet Nam’s National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control is urging authorities in the parts from Quang Binh to Ca Mau, including Da Nang, to take proactive and necessary mitigation measures in response to potential storm No.9 which is likely to enter the East Sea.

National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued tropical storm watches and warnings for parts of Mid-Central and Southern localities from December 19-20.

National forecasters are monitoring a tropical depression in the waters of the northwest Pacific Ocean, and the system is likely to organize into a storm.

The tropical depression is currently over the waters off the southern coast of the Philippines, and expected to develop into a storm in the next two days.

Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said they are monitoring for possible formation into a tropical storm on December 16 – 17, and it could then enter the southern part of ​​the East Sea, becoming the storm No. 9 so far this year. It could be a potential concern for the middle and southern parts of the East Sea.

The potential storm could directly affect Mid-Central and Southern localities on December 19 and 20.

National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control is also asking authorities in coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Ca Mau, including Da Nang, to prepare themselves for strong winds at sea.

The authorities in the warning areas must keep a close watch on severe weather development, and keep owners of vessels operating at sea timely informed about severe weather conditions in order to help them take the initiative to avoid dangerous areas or seek safe shelters during the bad weather. The focus must be on making the resources available in order to organize timely rescue of any person in distress at sea and provide timely support for those who need it during severe weather.

In addition, the heed must be paid on assisting local residents to prepare for severe weather in an attempt to keep them safe and protect their properties.

National forecasters has warned that from the afternoon of December, the Gulf of Tonkin, the offshore areas stretching from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, including Da Nang, the Middle of the East Sea could see gradually increasing northeast winds at level 6, and the gusts reaching level 7, as well as experience rough seas with waves as high as 2m-3m.

The offshore areas stretching from Binh Dinh to Ca Mau, the North of the East Sea (including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands), South of the East Sea, including the waters of the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands will see northeast winds at level 6 to 7, and gustiness of level 8, rough seas with waves as high as 2m-4m.

The parts from Nghe An to Khanh Hoa, including Da Nang, will continue to experience rain showers into December 14 with the possibility for thunderstorms developing in the late afternoon and night hours in some places, according to  national forecasters.

Reporting by baochinhphu – Translating by H.L