An unsettled weather pattern is bringing the Northwest region of Viet Nam scatterd showers and thunderstorms with localised moderate to heavy rainfall, continuing through Sunday, May 14, according to Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Heavy falls are expected to produce rain totals between 10 and 30 mm, with isolated totals of over 50mm, in a 24 hour period.

Illustrative image. Source: VNA

Showers with scattered thunderstorms at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places during afternoon and evening hours are also likely over the Mid-Central region, including Da Nang, and the northern part of Central Highlands on Saturday. Rain amounts on Saturday are forecast to generally average between 20 and 50 mm with more than 80mm possible in some places.

Thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong winds in the warning areas, national forecasters has warned. Localized flooding alerts are in place in low-lying areas.

The national weather service has placed these areas under a natural hazard alert at level 1 for tornadoes, lightning, and hail today.

National forecasters issued a warning for showers and thunderstorms for the Gulf of Tonkin, the offshore areas stretching from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, including Da Nang, during daytime and night hours on Saturday. These storms will have a good potential to become severe, producing large hail and damaging winds.

The national forecasters have warned that there will be scattered chances for showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours with localised heavy to very heavy downpours on Saturday over the northern part of the region from Da Nang to Binh Thuan while its southern part will see showers and the possiblity of thunderstorms at isolated places during late afternoon and night hours. Temperatures in these areas can expect lows of 24 to 27 degrees Celsius and highs of 31 to 34 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service are urging authorities at local level and relevant agencies to take proactive and necessary mitigation measures in response to thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong winds, greatly affecting the production and social life in order to minimize losses owing to thunderstorms. High pripority should be given to taking all necessary measures in response to localised heavy rain which could trigger flooding in low-lying and riverside areas.

Focus must be must keeping a close watch on severe weather development, and keep local residents timely informed about severe weather conditions in order to help them protect their property from heavy rains and flooding. In addition, the heed must be paid on assisting local residents to prepare for heavy rains in an attempt to reduce the risk of possible damages. In addition, all necessary measures are needed to move people living in low-lying areas, along rivers and streams and areas at high risk of flash floods and landslides to safe places. Special attention must be given to making the resources available in order to drain rainwater from agricultural fields, low-lying areas, urban areas, most densely populated areas, industrial zones and other areas most at-risk of flooding in an effort to reduce costly damage to crops and property.

The authorities at local level in affected areas must take proactive and necessary mitigation measures in response to strong winds at sea.

Focus must be paid to keeping a close watch on severe weather development, and keeping 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. Special attention must be paid to 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.

Reporting by TTXVN – Translating by H.L