About 12-14 storms could hit the East Sea this year, with around half expected to directly affect Vietnam’s mainland.

Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, told a recent conference that from now until May, it is unlikely that any storms or tropical depressions would hit the East Sea.

Between August and September, tropical depressions and storms will mostly affect the north and north-central regions yet those striking during the period from September until the year’s end would affect the central and south central regions.

Between April and October, the total rainfall will be equivalent to that recorded in the corresponding time in the previous years, and would be 10-20 percent higher in April, May, August and September.

According to the centre, the wet season may come early to the Central Highlands and south of Vietnam, in the latter half of April or the first half of May. Meanwhile, flash floods and landslides may strike northern mountainous areas sooner than in previous years.

Drought and water shortages are projected for certain areas in the central provinces of Nghe An, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan as well as the Central Highlands in April, which will then expand to all of the central region.

From now until late April, the Mekong Delta is likely to record another three or four saltwater intrusion episodes, then the phenomenon will begin easing in May./.VNA