After entering the Tonkin Gulf yesterday, powerful tropical storm Nock-Ten is moving fast and will land in the area from the northern province of Thai Binh to the central province of Ha Tinh today, the Central Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center has warned.
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| Tropical storm Nock-Ten is closing in on Thai Binh - Ha Tinh area. |
Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Navy’s Forecast Center, Nock-Ten will hit the coastal area between Nghe An and Thanh Hoa Provinces tonight.
Yesterday night, the storm laid centered 410 kilometers east off the coast between Thai Binh-Ha Tinh Provinces with winds of up to 102 kph, causing rainstorms in the region.
The storm is moving west at 20-25 kph and will get closer to the coast tonight with the same powerful winds, the center said.
Provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Ninh will experience gusts of 45 kph.
The storm will bring heavy rains to provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Binh for 2-3 days starting today, said Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Central Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre.
Rivers will rise fast and many may reach or surpass danger level 3 in some provinces, while flood, flashflood and landslides may occur in mountainous areas and lowlands, he warned.
Ha Tinh authorities are considering a plan to evacuate more than 27,000 people living in coastal areas and areas vulnerable to flashflood and landslides.
For the immediate time being, 20,000 people in four districts: Nghi Xuan, Loc Ha, Cam Xuyen and Ky Anh will be moved to safe places, Bui Le Bac, deputy head of the provincial Steering Board for Flood and Strom Prevention and Control, said.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday sent two working teams to Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh Provinces to help local authorities cope with the storm.
By yesterday evening, 40,432 boats with 191, 235 people on board at sea had been informed of the storm’s movements to take safety measures, the Border Guard High Command reported.