Doksuri, said to be thestrongest typhoon in a decade, is expected to make landfall between thisafternoon and evening. It will directly hit Vietnam’s central region, includingthe four provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri.
The National Centre forHydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) in its latest report at 9pm on September14 said that the wind was at 135kph. By 7pm the same day, it was 360km offthe coast of Ha Tinh province to Quang Binh province.
The NCHMF forecast rainfallof up to 400mm for localities in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Otherprovinces could get as much as 300mm of heavy rains. In the northern provincesof Hoa Binh and Son La, rainfall of 50-200mm is forecast.
The centre said floods werepredicted to occur in the river systems from Thanh Hoa province to Quang Ngai provincebetween September 14 and September 17.
The urban areas of Vinh, HaTinh, Dong Hoi, Quang Tri and Hue were warned about flooding triggered by heavyrains. The northern region, including the capital city of Hanoi, will behardly affected by the typhoon. It is expecting some rainfalls over theweekend, though.
Coastal provinces on September 14continued making preparations.
In Nghe An province,students are off from school until the storm passes.
In Thanh Hoa province, vicechairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Quyen orderedauthorities in mountainous areas to make plans to evacuate about 247,867 peopleliving in areas at risk of landslides and flash floods.
Da Nang city said 162 shipscarrying 1,300 fishermen near Quang Ngai, Thua Thien-Hue, Nghe An, Quang Binh,Quang Tri and Hoang Sa (Paracel)Archipelago of Vietnam, had received storm warnings and were heading for safeshelters.
The city banned alloperations by fishing ships on September 13 evening, and set up emergency teamsat vulnerable lowland areas in preparation for heavy rains.
Ships and cruise vesselsaround Cham Island in Quang Nam and Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai provinceanchored safely at ports on September 14.-VNA