On the evening of August 30, a leader of the Hai Thinh Commune People’s Committee confirmed that at around 5 p.m. the same day, a large dark cloud with a swirling shape suddenly appeared over the sea off the commune.

According to the official, strong winds were recorded in the area while the cloud was visible. The phenomenon lasted for around 30 minutes and caused no casualties or property damage.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, 33, a resident of Hai Thinh Commune, said: “This was the first time I had ever seen a cloud with such an unusual shape over the Hai Thinh coast. It lasted for about 30 minutes before dissipating, and light rain then fell along the coastal area.”

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the northern delta was forecast to experience moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms from the night of August 30 through August 31, with widespread rainfall of 30-60mm and more than 130mm in some areas.

Localized heavy rain could cause flooding in low-lying areas and urban and industrial zones, while also raising the risk of flooding along small rivers and streams and landslides on slopes. Tornadoes, lightning and hail were also possible.

Amid the complicated weather conditions, the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee issued a directive on August 30 instructing departments, agencies and local authorities to proactively implement measures to respond to heavy rain, floods, inundation, landslides, tornadoes, lightning and hail in order to minimize potential damage.

Trong Tung