Location and direction of the tropical depressions. (Photo: nchmf.gov.vn)

Accordingly, at 7 am this morning (Nov. 5), the tropical depression was at about 250 km to the north of Song Tu Tay Island (under the Vietnam’s Spratly Archipelago), with the strongest winds near its centre blowing at 40-60km/h).

It is forecasted that in the next 24 hours, the tropical depression will slowly move eastward at about 5km per hour and may become a typhoon. By 7 am on Wednesday, the location of the storm is predicted at about 350km to the northeast of Song Tu Tay Island, packing winds from 60-75km/h.

Over the next 24 to 48 hours, the storm is likely to move eastward, traveling at a speed of about 5km every hour while growing in strength.

Due to the influence of tropical depression and a current cold spell, the middle and northern areas of the East Sea, as well as the waters off the provinces from Quang Nam to Khanh Hoa, have suffered from heavy rains combined with thunderstorms and rough seas, with waves from 2-4 metres high. 

* According to the latest report, the recent Typhoon Matmo, the fifth typhoon to make landfall from the East Sea this year, left one dead, one missing and 14 injured, while damaging over 2,400 houses and nearly 6,000 ha of crops and aquaculture, with the total initial damages estimated at VND886 billion.

* The standing office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Management has sent missions to the affected localities to support them in overcoming the storm consequences, while mobilising support from international organisations to assist locales severely damaged by Matmo.

The concerned authorities have strengthened forces and means, especially specialised equipment, to promptly carry out search and rescue missions in conformity with the specific characteristics of regions and types of natural disasters. Nhan Dan