Rains up to 250mm are forecast along the coastal central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai on October 9 evening.

This is attributed to the impact of a tropical low-pressure system, moving west-northwest at 25km per hour. It was 410km off the coast of the provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri by 1pm on October 9, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said.

The system was predicted to gain strength and develop as a tropical storm before making its landfall on provinces between Ha Tinh and Quang Tri early October 10 morning.

The system would also bring heavy rains to the northern provinces of Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Son La with a rainfall of 50-100mm from October 9 night, the centre said.

In a related movement, the centre said water level in rivers in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces was rising. A flood was forecast in the rivers from Thanh Hoa province to Quang Ngai province on October 9 at midnight.

A small flood was also expected to hit the rivers of Thao, Lo and Thai Binh between October 10 and 11.

The northern mountainous provinces of Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Can, Thai Nguyen, as well as Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh and the central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai have been put on high alert due to the possibility of landslides and flash floods, the centre said.

Additionally, the urban areas of large cities which are prone to be inundated needed to prepare carefully to prevent consequences of heavy rains, the centre said.

In response to the situation, the National Committee on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control held an urgent meeting on October 9 to direct the provinces to take measures to prepare for the tropical low-pressure system.

The committee asked the province to inform to all offshore vessels about the development of the tropical low-pressure system so that they could find a safe anchorage.

The localities’ administrations were told to evacuate locals in low areas and along riverbanks to higher places and re-check reservoirs to ensure safety during heavy rains, he added.

By October 9 morning, about 50,000 offshore vessels were informed of the tropical low-pressure system.

VNA