Border guards and residents help clean up the landslide-struck border road in Lạng Sơn Province on August 23. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Typhoon No. 4 (Narra) remained nearly stationary over the Gulf of Tonkin on Sunday, packing winds of up to force 9 (75–88 km/h) and its circulation is threatening northern Việt Nam with rough seas, heavy rain, flooding, and landslides.

At 1pm Sunday, the storm's centre was located about 155km east-southeast of Quảng Ninh and 150km east of Hải Phòng, north of Bạch Long Vĩ Special Zone.

It was moving very slowly at around 3km per hour, with maximum sustained winds of force 8-9 (62-88km per hour) and gusts of up to force 11, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The storm is forecast to move slowly towards the southeast on Monday and could maintain force-9 winds with gusts of up to force 11, even though a landfall in Vietnamese soil is not expected.

The system is expected to turn east-northeast on Tuesday before moving towards southwestern Guangxi, China and weakening into a tropical depression Wednesday.

The Gulf of Tonkin is experiencing very rough seas, with waves reaching 2-4m high. Coastal areas of Quảng Ninh and Hải Phòng are seeing strong winds, while vessels, aquaculture facilities, coastal structures and other maritime activities remain at risk.

As of Sunday noon, storm-related rain, flooding and landslides had killed one person and damaged or inundated thousands of homes, according to the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The fatality was a man born in 1999 in Thái Bình Commune, in the northern mountainous province of Lạng Sơn, who was killed when a landslide struck his home.

Authorities have so far evacuated 2,965 households from high-risk sites, including 2,736 in Lạng Sơn, 27 in Quảng Ninh, 80 in Bắc Ninh, and 122 in Thanh Hóa, while several local authorities and rescue forces have been mobilised to assist affected residents and clear areas hit by flooding and landslides.

Phạm Xuân Đài, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Vân Đồn Special Zone, directed efforts to address flooding and landslides as a result of Typhoon No. 4 on August 23 morning. Đài said local authorities had mobilised vehicles and personnel and had basically completed remedial work following landslides, ensuring traffic could resume normally. — VNA/VNS Photo

The storm's circulation is expected to bring rain to the northeastern region, southern Phú Thọ and Thanh Hóa from Sunday afternoon throughout Monday.

Rainfall is forecast at 30-70mm in most areas, with isolated totals above 150mm. Higher rainfall of 60-120mm is expected in Bắc Ninh, Quảng Ninh, Hải Phòng, Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình and Thanh Hóa, with some locations potentially receiving more than 250mm.

The rain is expected to gradually ease from Monday night, but authorities warned of continued risks of urban and low-lying flooding, river flooding, flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.

Strong thunderstorms, whirlwinds and gusts are also possible.

Authorities have been ordered to closely monitor the storm, strictly control vessels operating at sea and ensure boats are safely anchored or moved to shelters. People are not permitted to remain on vessels in dangerous conditions or return before safety is guaranteed.

Residents and properties at high-risk areas in Bắc Ninh Province are temporarily moving to safer places as typhoon-induced heavy rains continued to batter the northern region. — VNA/VNS Photo

Special attention is being given to coastal and island tourism sites, aquaculture and fishing areas, and offshore and coastal construction works.

The disaster prevention authorities have also instructed localities to strengthen protection of vulnerable dyke sections along the Cầu, Thương, Lục Nam and Bưởi rivers.

The authorities have maintained 24-hour duty and sent safety warnings to millions of mobile subscribers in northern provinces, covering precautions against heavy rain, flooding, flash floods and landslides. — VNS

Amid complex developments in flooding caused by Typhoon No. 4, authorities in many areas of Bắc Ninh Province have mobilised the armed forces to assist residents in flooded areas and locations at risk of flooding and landslides to evacuate to safe places. — VNA/VNS Photo