A weather warning for moderate to heavy rain and a thunderstorm possible with localized extremely heavy falls has been issued for mountainous areas of the Northern region by Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF). The warning is in effect for these areas from late afternoon of Friday into Saturday.

Illustrative image: Photo: VNA

Meteorologists at NCHMF are monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) which is developing over the sea to the East of the Philippines.

Due to the influence of the low pressure system, the Northern part, middle and Southern part of the East Sea, plus the offshore areas stretching from Quang Binh to Ca Mau, including Da Nang, will see gradually increasing winds at levels 5 to 6, and the gusts reaching level 7, and experience rough seas with waves as high as 2-3m during the daytime and night hours of Thursday.  

Forecasters predict that a disturbance will appear in the East Sea from July 15 – 20. The disturbance is expected to continue becoming better organized, and national forecasters say conditions are conducive for this system to develop into a tropical depression, or even a tropical storm. 

Forecasters have issued warnings of flash floods and landslides for mountainous areas in these areas, and localized flooding alerts are in place in low-lying and riverside areas. The advisory urges residents to ‘be aware’ of inclement weather. Residents in affected areas are advised to get ready for such weather conditions in an attempt to reduce the risk of possible damages.

The national weather agency is urging authorities in the warning areas to take mitigation measures in response to severe weather conditions.

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

Reported by BAO TIN TUC – Translating by H.L