The movement direction of storm Talim.( Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 16 asked ministries and localities toconcentrate on measures in response to storm Talim, the first storm expected tohit Vietnam this year.
According to the NationalCentre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, at 4am on July 17, the storm was380 km to the east–southeast of China's Leizhou Peninsula with a wind speed of103-117 km per hour and gusts up to 166 km per hour.
By 4am on July 18, thestorm would move mostly west-north west with a speed of 15 km per hour andpossibly gain strength. The storm would be about 210 km to the east-southeastof Mong Cai city in Quang Ninh province, and about 310 km to the east of HaiPhong city of Vietnam.
At sea, on the day and night of July 17, thenorthern area of the East Sea, including the Hoang Sa territorial waters, has rains. Thesouthern area of the Gulf of Tonkin, the middle and southern areas of the EastSea, including the Truong Sa territorial waters, the sea from Binh Thuan to Ca Mau, Ca Mau to KienGiang, and the Gulf of Thailand have strong showers and thunderstorms. In theafternoon and night of July 17, the northern area of the Gulf of Tonkin hasheavy rains during which, there is a possibility of tornadoes and strong gustsof wind.
The PM sent the request to the chairpersons of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities includingQuang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An,Hanoi, Hung Yen, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Bac Ninh,Bac Giang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lang Son, Cao Bang,Yen Bai, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang, and Thai Nguyen.
The Ministries of National Defence; Public Security; Natural Resources and Environment; Agriculture and RuralDevelopment; Transport, Industry and Trade; Construction; Information andCommunications; Culture, Sports and Tourism; Education and Training; andForeign Affairs were also asked to take response measures for the stormtogether with the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Controland the National Committee for Search and Rescue of Vietnam.
Storm Talim is forcast to directly affect Quang Ninh and Hai Phong on July 18-19. (Photo: VNA)Responding to the comingstorm, authorities in the northeastern coastal province of Quang Ninh requestedunits and localities to keep contact with vehicles operating at sea, providingthem with information on the location and storm movements to actively instructthem to reach safe shelters and away from dangerous areas.
The province also asked aquaculture growers to urgently consolidate their aquaculture cages and localauthorities were asked to evacuate people from aquaculture areas with prioritygiven to women, the elderly, and children. The evacuation must be completedbefore 4pm on July 17.
Localities, especiallythose on islands, were asked to review the number of tourists and provide themwith proper information about the storm.
Relevant authorities andagencies must review the landslides-prone locations to have specific responseplans; organise the opening of the drainage system, particularly in urbanareas. Localities in mountainous areas must be ready to respond to floods andlandslides.
Authorities are asked to taking measures to ensure safety of people, aquaculture production and tourists as storm Talim is coming. (Photo: VNA)Meanwhile, the coastal cityof Hai Phong also took storm-responding measures to ensure safety for people,aquaculture production, fishing vehicles, and infrastructure in vulnerableareas of coastal areas or mountainous ones.
Nguyen Van Huong, head ofthe Weather Forecasting Department at the National Centre forHydrometeorological Forecasting, said storm Talim would directly affect QuangNinh and Hai Phong on July 18-19.
However, anotherpossibility is that the storm, after passing through Leizhou, will deviate tothe south and expand the effect to the south of the northern delta. Thisscenario has a low probability but needs to be kept in mind, Huong said.
In addition to strongwinds, the storm will cause prolonged heavy rains in the northern region, soHuong suggested localities prepare for heavy rains and urban flooding. The stormcan also cause flash floods and landslides in northern mountainousprovinces.
"Heavy rain occurredafter many consecutive days of rainstorms and heat, increasing the risk offlash floods and landslides from July 18 in the northern region, especially inprovinces like Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai," Huongsaid as quoted on vnexpress.net./.
