VietNamNet Bridge – Tropical Storm Vicente is likely to hit China’s Guangdong Province this morning and then weaken into a depression, but will bring heavy rains to Northern Vietnam, said the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center.

At 4 am today the typhoon’s center lay 540 km east-northeast of Mong Cai Town in the northern province of Quang Ninh, with winds of 118-149 km.

The storm is moving west-northwest at 20 kph and will make landfall in the southeastern area of China’s Guangdong Province this morning before moving along the south coastal area of Guangxi while weakening to a tropical depression.

At 4 am July 25, the depression will be located 90 km west of Vietnam's Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces, with winds of 39-61 kph and gusts of 63-87 kph.

The depression will then move west at 15 kph into Vietnam’s northern mountainous areas and continue to weaken into a low pressure.

At 4 am July 26, the low pressure will be located in Vietnam’s northwest and will continue westward before dissipating.

The storm will cause rough seas in the northwest area of the East Sea, with wind forces measured at 88-117 kph. In the area near the storm’s eye the wind will be stronger, up to 132 kph or higher.

This evening northern provinces will experience heavy rains or downpours. Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces will have winds of 40-45 kph, with gusts of 51-62 kph.

The storm, which is combining with strong seasonal southwest winds, will also cause rough seas in the middle and southern areas of the East Sea, including the sea of Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, and in the region between Binh Thuan and Ca Mau provinces, with winds of 30- 45 kph and gusts of up to 51- 75 kph.

The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Strom Prevention and Control has asked concerned authorities to call on boats at sea, including those in the sea of Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, to return to shore or move southward for safety.

Border guard forces in coastal provinces and cities reported that they have informed more than 34,000 boats and ships about the typhoon’s development to take safety measures in time.

In the northern port city of Hai Phong nearly 3,900 boats with 16,000 fishermen on board had sought shelter from the storm or had move out of dangerous areas by yesterday evening, the city border guard command reported. However, there were still 433 boats and more than 1,000 people still at sea.

In northern Quang Ninh province, about 300 boats remained operating in some areas near the shore yesterday evening.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre