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Nguyen Van Huong advises that on land, precautions should be taken against localized convective thunderstorms before the storm arrives.

As the tropical depression in the East Sea intensifies, Nguyen Van Huong, Head of Weather Forecasting at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, announced today that it is expected to upgrade to Tropical Storm No. 4.

The storm, having passed the Luzon Island area in the Philippines this morning, is on a trajectory towards the Paracel Islands, and will likely affect the coastal stretch from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai.

Currently moving west-northwest, the system will bring gale-force winds, reaching level 8 near its center. "We anticipate that the storm will most likely impact the coastal regions from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai, with a 70% probability," Huong stated. There's also a 15% chance that it could affect areas north of the Gulf of Tonkin or southern Central Vietnam.

From tomorrow, the northern and central parts of the Central Coast are expected to face moderate to heavy rainfall, which could persist until September 21. "Residents should prepare for possible urban flooding and storm-related disruptions," Huong warned.

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Forecast map showing Storm No. 4 approaching Central Vietnam. Source: VNDMS

As the storm intensifies, it will also impact the Paracel Islands and the northern East Sea. Coastal regions from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien - Hue, including the waters near Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai, are likely to experience significant weather phenomena.

Marine activities will be severely affected. "All vessels should seek safe harbor immediately, and aquaculture operations, particularly in Thua Thien Hue, should take necessary precautions," Huong advised.

The storm also poses a risk of landslides and flash floods in midland and mountainous areas of the northern and central Central Coast from the night of September 18 through September 21 or 22.

Bao Anh