Super Typhoon Rai, called Odette in the Philippines, slammed into the eastern portion of the islands on Thursday afternoon. Making first landfall on Siargao island, the storm was packing sustained winds of 160 mph.

Rai became the fourth Category 5-equivalent typhoon in the western Pacific Ocean this year. It is one of the strongest storms of 2021.

International weather forecasters say that the storm could weaken as it continues toward the northwest, crossing the Philippines through Friday. From there, forecasters anticipate it will continue north-northwest into the East Sea, potentially re-strengthening as it does, before eventually getting shredded apart by an incoming mid-latitude system.

Viet Nam’s National Steering Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue has warned that super typhoon Rai will impact the water off the Mid-central region’s coast on December 19 and 20 with maximum sustained winds at level 12, and the gusts as high as levels 14 to 15, thereby posing a direct threat to safety of vessels operating at sea.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister has warned that Rai is a violent tropical storm with strong winds, and it is moving rapidly with complicated developments, thereby urging the National Steering Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, national ministries and agencies, coastal localities to undertake preparedness measures to respond to Super Typhoon Rai.

The expected track of Super Typhoon Rai (Source: Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting)

At 7:00 am on Saturday, December 18, Rai's centre will be located about 200km east of Song Tu Tay Island, packing sustainable winds at levels 13 to 14, and gustiness reaching at level 17, Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting in its latest bulletin said. The storm will continue moving west-northwest at about 20km per hour.

Due to the strong influence of cold front and Super Typhoon Rai, the North of the East Sea (including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands) will see gradually increasing strong winds at levels 7 to 8, and the gusts as high as level 10 while the the east and the middle of the East Sea could witness gradually increasing strong winds at levels 8 to 10, and the gusts as high as levels 11 to 12.

The area near the storm’s centre could see strong winds at levels 13 to 14, and the gusts reaching level 17, and experience rough seas with waves as high as 8-10m.

At 7:00 am on December 20, the storm's center will be about 150km east of the coast of the parts fron Da Nang to Binh Dinh with the maximum sustained winds reaching level 12, and gustiness of up to level 15. The storm's intensity is expected to decrease as it switches direction and moves toward the north - northeast.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister is urging coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang to work with the border guard force and relevant agencies to 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 putting disaster preparedness and resilience into action to prepare for typhoon Rai.

Local government units are asked to undertake preparedness actions based on their contingency plans and rapid response protocols, including COVID19 safe and health measures, for the possible onslaught of the storm. The heed must be paid on organizing coordination meetings and the inventory of prepositioned goods, equipment, and rescue vehicles. Evacuation plan must put in place in the most at risk areas in the said localities.

National ministries and agencies are preparing and working closely with local governments to respond as needed. They are monitoring the situation and ready to conduct assessments and respond as needed, while ensuring the said localities have proper protective equipment and follow local health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP – Translating by H.L