The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting announced that a tropical depression in the East Sea has strengthened into a tropical storm and is moving towards the East Sea.

The centre said at 7pm on October 12, the eye of tropical storm Khanun was located 170km east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island with maximum wind speed of 75km per hour.

In the next 24 hours, storm Khanun will move west-southwest ward at the speed of 20-25km an hour and is likely to gain strength.  The centre of the storm is about 670km from Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

The Centre’s Deputy Director, Mr. Le Thanh Hai said heavy downpours are forecast to take place in the provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai from October 15 to October 18 and some north-eastern and north-western provinces.

On October 12, the National Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control sent an urgent message to relevant localities asking them to strictly monitor the development of tropical storm Khanun and check emergency response measures to cope with possible flooding and landslides.

Since the beginning of the year, 10 storms and tropical low pressure systems have occured in the East Sea, many of which struck Vietnam. 

On September 15, typhoon Doksuri made landfall in the provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, killing 8 people and destroying 200,000 houses.

The tropical depression hit the region on October 10 caused heavy rains in provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue, leaving more than 10 people dead. 

VOV