The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that at midday on September 1, Storm Saudel was packing winds of force 8, or 62-74kph, with gusts of up to force 10 as it moved over the northern waters of the North East Sea. The storm was moving north-east at about 20kph.
The weather agency forecast that from now until September 4, the storm would continue moving north-east, heading away from Vietnam and posing no threat to the country's mainland.
By around September 3, the storm is expected to weaken into a tropical depression.
The agency said that during the day and night of September 1, the northern waters of the North East Sea would see rain. The Gulf of Tonkin, waters from southern Quang Tri to Danang, and the southern waters of the North East Sea, including the Hoang Sa special zone, would experience showers and thunderstorms. During thunderstorms, there is a high risk of waterspouts, gusts of force 7-8 and waves above 2 metres.
It also forecast that during the day and night of September 2, the north-eastern waters of the North East Sea would see winds of force 6-7, rising to force 8 near the storm's centre, with gusts of up to force 10. Waves are expected to reach 2-4 metres, and 3-5 metres near the centre, with very rough seas. In the southern waters of the North East Sea and the central East Sea, including the Hoang Sa special zone, south-westerly winds of force 6, at times force 7, with gusts of force 8-9 are forecast.
The northern waters of the South East Sea, including the northern part of the Truong Sa special zone, and waters from Khanh Hoa to Ho Chi Minh City are forecast to see south-westerly winds of force 6, with gusts of force 7-8.
