Northen Vietnam is braced for another storm in the coming days this year

At 01.00 am August 17, the tropical depression was churning through the Luzon island of the Philippines at a speed of 50kmph near its centre. 

In the next 24 hours, the depression is forecast to move past the Luzon island to enter the northern part of the East Sea and gain its strength into a storm.

The storm will be travelling north and north-west and causing heavy rain as well as rough seas. It is expected to strengthen further when it heads toward the northern coast of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, heavy rain continued to lash northern provinces of Vietnam on August 17, with an average rainfall of 20-50mm, or even 100mm and above in several mountain localities.

Warnings of flash floods, landslides and flooding have been issued in many mountainous and midland provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Cao Bang, and Tuyen Quang.    

Nearly a week ago, Mekkhala storm formed in the East Sea and bartered Fujian province, southern China. Though it did not hit Vietnam, it caused torrential rain, landslides and severe flooding in the mountainous region. 

Vietnam to experience 5-6 storms this year

Vietnam would face 5-6 tropical storms from now until the year-end, according to Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Mai Van Khiem.