VietNamNet Bridge – The fourth typhoon in the East Sea this season, Typhoon Vicente, is forecast to get closer to northern Viet Nam in the next few days, bringing strong wind gusts, rain and rough seas.

The National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre said that by 1pm today, July 23, the typhoon's centre would be at 20.3N, 112.2E, some 180km from eastern Leizhou Peninsula in China. By noon tomorrow, it was forecast to be near 20.9N, 108.5E in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf, some 120km offshore from northern Quang Ninh Province's Mong Cai District.

Vicente is expected to bring wind gusts of 74-102km per hour near the eye, which is within level 9-10.

In the next 48 to 72 hours, it would move west at a speed of 10-15kph, causing rough seas and strong winds from central Binh Thuan Province to the southernmost Ca Mau Province.

At 7pm local time yesterday, Vicente was located about 370km east-northern of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands. Gales near the eye of the storm reached 75-88kph at level 9.

On Saturday evening, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control had asked all coastal provinces from northern Quang Ninh Province to central Phu Yen Province to advise vessels at sea to not enter the typhoon's area.

Sea border guards yesterday co-ordinated with local authorities, families, ship owners and capital cities to guide more than 33,500 ships with over 128,100 people aboard to get out of the danger area.

No losses in shipping had so far been reported.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News