VietNamNet Bridge – The National Hydro Meteorological Forecasting Center announced at 9.30am on Tuesday that a tropical low pressure system was approaching the East Sea and could possibly strengthen into a storm.

Satellite photo of the new tropical low pressure system. (Photo: www.nchmf.gov.vn)

By 7am, the tropical low pressure system was located 7.1 degrees latitude north and 126.8 degrees longitude east, on the southeast region of Mindanao Island of the Philippines, wrapping strong winds of level 6-7 and gusts upto level 8-9.

Within the next 24 hours, the tropical low pressure system will mainly move west-northwestwards at speed of 25 kph, and will pass the southern region of the Philippines and enter Sulu Sea, possibly strengthening into a storm. By 7am on Wednesday, the storm will be centered 8.8 degrees latitude north and 121.9 degrees longitude east, about 350 kilometers east-southeast of Palaoan Island of the Philippines, with maximum wind speed of level 8 and gusts of level 9-10.

In addition, being affected by an intense cold snap, the Gulf of Tonkin will face northeasterly winds of level 6-7 and rough seas.

The epicenter of the new storm is the same location as of Super Storm Haiyan and concerns are that the storm will possibly threaten the Philippines and Vietnam once again.

The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Search and Rescue have sent an urgent message to the People’s Committee of affected provinces, to quickly inform local residents and fishermen and prevent them from heading out to  open sea, and also take preventive measures to tackle the new storm.

After sweeping along the coastline of Vietnam, Storm Haiyan centered 22.9 degrees latitude north and 107.8 degrees longitude east, on the southern region of Guangxi in China by Monday, with strong wind speed of level 8 and gusts of level 9-10. Later, the storm moved northeastwards at 15-20 kph, entering deep into the mainland of Guangxi and subsequently weakening into a tropical low pressure system then into a tropical low pressure zone.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Storm Haiyan had made landfall in Hainan and Guangxi on Monday and had killed and injured at least 11 people.

Preliminary statistics showed that Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces suffered the heaviest damages by Super Storm Haiyan, of which Quang Ninh Province estimated losses at about VND100 billion with no casualties yet, though seven people were injured and three are still reported missing.

Source: SGGP