HÀ NỘI – The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, on Thursday, held an urgent meeting to prepare for storm no. 12, internationally known as Damrey.

At the meeting, Hoàng Đức Cường, director of the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), said that the tropical depression in the southern provinces’ sea had weakened to a low pressure zone.

On the other hand, the tropical depression on the East Sea (South China Sea) had strengthened to become storm No. 12 or the Damrey storm on Thursday morning.

At present, the storm is at level 8 (of 18), however, when coming ashore, it can reach levels 10 to 13.

Observatories in Hong Kong and Japan forecasted that the Damrey storm can reach levels 11 to 14 (of 18), posing severe weather threats.

On Thursday, the storm will move fast at 10 to 15km per hour and reach the southern central provinces on Saturday, Cường said. The storm circulation will affect a vast area, from Bình Định to Ninh Thuận provinces from Friday.

The strong storm and air mass can cause downpours, with total rainfall of up to 1,000mm.

Lê Thanh Hải, deputy director of NCHMF, warned about the dangerous consequences caused by high tide and storm waves to the dyke system.

Trần Quang Hoài, director of the General Department of Disaster Prevention, said that the Department of Irrigation had commanded three missions to the south for better reservoir management. The missions will now go to the southern central provinces to prepare for the Damrey storm.

At present, the flood on Phú Yên Province’s Ba River and Nha Trang City’s Cái River is rising and is expected to reach its peak in the next 6 to 12 hours. Landslides and flooding are threatening provinces from Quảng Nam to Khánh Hoà and the Northen Central Highland.

Hoài said to proactively lower the water level in reservoirs and make proper flood discharge plans, preventing artificial floods.

Bình Thuận prepares for tropical depression

Bình Thuận Province People’s Committee, on Wednesday, urged locals to prepare for the tropical depression, which can strengthen into a storm.

The provincial authority also expressed worry about the shortage of storm shelters for vessels.

“We are carefully tracking the direction of the tropical depression,” said Phạm Văn Nam, deputy head of the Bình Thuận Province People’s Committee.

Tạ Minh Nhựt, head of Bình Thuận Province’s Phú Quý District People’s Committee, said that they were collaborating with border guards to record the number of operating vessels and persuading them to come ashore. According to him, there are about 1,300 fishing boats at sea.

The district authority, on the other hand, asked the owners of more than 1,000 fish cages to reinforce their facilities or bring them to a safe place.

“We are trying to contact the operating vessels. Despite the shortage of storm shelters, we have a solution to arrange for the space,” said Nhựt.

Bình Thuận Province Port Administration has notified vessels of the direction of the tropical depression and the upcoming storm, to avoid dangerous areas and readied urgent assistance in case of an emergency.

The Phan Thiết - Phú Quý sea route is still open, although it will be shut when the tropical depression comes ashore.– VNS