A tropical low-pressure system may gain strength and develop into a tropical storm when making landfall in Viet Nam today, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said yesterday.

A tropical low-pressure system may gain strength and develop into a tropical storm when making landfall in Viet Nam today, the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said yesterday. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

Hoang Duc Cuong, the centre’s director, said according to forecasts by the US and Japan the tropical low-pressure system, which has been affecting Viet Nam for several days, will likely be upgraded to a tropical storm level 8, the lowest level out of 18. It is predicted to make landfall early this morning and hit central provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Binh.

Provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai are forecast to experience heavy rain. In particular, four provinces from Nghe An to Quang Binh can expect very heavy rains of up to 200-400mm, Cuong said.

Southern parts of the northwest region and the northern Central Highlands are expecting average rain.

The centre said water levels of rivers in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh were rising. Flooding was forecast for rivers in Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai provinces at midnight yesterday. 

Light flooding was also expected to hit the rivers of Thao, Lo and Thai Binh in the north between today and tomorrow.

Northern mountainous provinces and central provinces have been put on high alert due to the possibility of landslides and flash floods, the centre said. 

The urban areas of large cities which are prone to be inundated needed to prepare carefully to prevent damage to property and lives, it said. 

At an urgent meeting of the National Committee on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control to prepare for the tropical low-pressure system, the committee asked coastal provinces in the affected area to inform all offshore vessels about the latest developments of the system so that they could find safe anchorage. 

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

Colonel Tran Duong Kien from the High Command of Border Guard said by yesterday morning, about 70,000 offshore vessels had been informed about the situation.  

VNS