According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, Storm Narra is moving away from the Gulf of Tonkin and weakening, with rain and flooding easing in many areas.
At 6 am on August 25, the storm's centre was over waters south of Bach Long Vi, with maximum sustained winds at level 8 and gusts at level 10.
Over the next 24 hours, Narra is forecast to move slowly, possibly turning east-northeast as it heads further offshore and weakens. Rain has already eased sharply across the north, with most areas of Lang Son, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh reporting no rainfall.
Some areas in the northwest and coastal parts of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh still recorded 40-70 mm of rain.
Most of northern Vietnam is expected to remain dry on August 25, while coastal areas from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh could receive 20-40 mm of rain, with more than 80 mm in some places.
The Ky Cung River in Lang Son rises during recent flooding. Photo: Tran Chung/Dantri
Despite easing rain, river levels remain high. Floodwaters are receding in Lang Son and Thai Nguyen, with the Cau River falling to warning level 1, while the Cau, Thuong and Luc Nam rivers in Bac Ninh remain at level 3, the highest in Vietnam's three-tier flood warning system.
According to Bac Ninh's hydro-meteorological station, the Cau River at Phuc Loc Phuong reached 8 metres at 12.20 am on August 25 and was still rising. Levels were forecast to exceed warning level 3 over the next six to 12 hours, raising the risk of severe flooding in low-lying and riverside areas.
Weather authorities warned of flooding in low-lying areas and riverside communities, as well as flash floods on small rivers and streams, landslides on slopes and ground subsidence in areas with unstable soil.
Areas at risk of localised flooding in the Cau River basin in Bac Ninh include Tam Giang, Yen Phong, Yen Trung, Tam Da, Vu Ninh, Kinh Bac, Nhan Hoa, Que Vo, Phu Lang, Hop Thinh, Xuan Cam, Hiep Hoa, Van Ha and Nenh.
On the Buoi River in Thanh Hoa, water levels at Kim Tan station peaked at 11.70 metres on Tuesday morning, about 0.3 metres below warning level 3.
Floodwaters are forecast to recede slowly. In Ninh Binh, the Hoang Long River at Ben De is expected to fall to 3.10 metres during the day, still about 0.1 metres above warning level 1.
Meanwhile, upstream rivers in Nghe An are at warning level 1 and forecast to keep rising, though their peaks are expected to remain below level 2, depending partly on reservoir operations.
