After pounding the Philippines, powerful storm Bopha entered the East Sea on December 5 and is likely to change its course.

The storm, the nine of its kind formed in the East Sea, travelled fast some time at a speed of 30-35km per hour, according to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre.

In the next two days, it is forecast to move slowly and regain strength, said Bui Minh Tang, director of the centre, at a meeting in Hanoi on December 5.

He admitted that the storm could move in a complicated fashion. “It is very difficult to track the storm. Several stations forecast that after heading straight for the middle of the East Sea, it could turn back to the south.”

In a latest bulletin released by the centre, at 07.00am on December 6, Bopha was positioned 270km off Song Tu Tay island of the Truong Sa archipelago, packing winds of 118-133km/h.

In the next 24 hours, it is likely to change its course towards the north and north-west and further strengthen, with winds gusting between 118-149km/h near its eye.

The centre forecast that as the cold spell is intensifying its severity from the north, the storm is unlikely to batter the north and north-central coast, but the south-central region.

Coastal provinces were urged to call in fishing vessels out at sea, keep a close watch on and be well prepared for the storm.

VOV