HÀ NỘI -- Storm No. 12, or Typhoon Fengshen, is changing direction and may intensify, bringing widespread heavy rain in the central localities from Hà Tĩnh to Quảng Ngãi in the coming days, reported the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
The centre said that while the storm's strength has not changed, its direction has shifted and it has the potential to strengthen further.
As of 4 am on Monday (October 20), the storm's centre was approximately 540km east-northeast of the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) Archipelago. The strongest winds near the storm's centre reached level 9 (75-88 km per hour), with gusts at level 11. The storm was moving northwest at about 25kmph.
By 4am on Tuesday, the storm is forecast to be about 180 km north-northeast of the Hoàng Sa Archipelago, with winds of level 10-11 and gusts of level 13, moving west-northwest at about 20 km/h and likely to strengthen. Affected areas include the northern part of the East Sea (including the Hoàng Sa Archipelago).
In the next two days, the affected areas will include the western part of the northern East Sea (including the Hoàng Sa Archipelago) and coastal waters from Huế to Quảng Ngãi provinces with strong winds of level 7-8 and waves 3-5m high, up to 7m near the centre.
All vessels operating in these hazardous areas may be affected by thunderstorms, waterspouts, strong winds and high waves.
On land, the combined influence of the storm's circulation, cold air and easterly disturbances, together with orographic effects, will likely cause prolonged heavy rain from Hà Tĩnh to Quảng Ngãi province between October 22-27.
Some areas may experience very heavy rainfall, posing a high risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous regions.
The Army's General Staff has just issued urgent dispatch on proactively responding to Storm No. 12.
Military units were asked to co-ordinate with agriculture and environment departments and relevant agencies to review storm response plans, identify key disaster and high-risk of flash floods and landslides areas, and prepare forces and means to evacuate people in dangerous areas. -- VNS