The direction of typhoon Mulan.— Photo nchmf.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Typhoon Mulan, the second tropical storm hitting the East Sea this year, with a high wind speed of 88km per hour, is predicted to bring torrential rain to the northern region from Wednesday night before hitting northern provinces from Quảng Ninh to Nam Định on Thursday.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned on Wednesday morning that the maximum rainfall is forecasted to be up to 250mm.

The centre also said that by 7am on Thursday, the typhoon will be about 70km south of Móng Cái City in the north-eastern province of Quảng Ninh and 110km east of Hải Phòng City with the strongest wind speed of 74km per hour.

The storm is moving west-northwest at 15-2 km per hour, the centre said.

It is predicted to weaken as a tropical low-pressure system before making its landfall on the northern localities from Quảng Ninh to Nam Định on Thursday night, the centre said.

Due to the typhoon, the northern part of the East Sea is forecasted to experience strong winds and sea roughs with sea waves of 4-6 metres from Wednesday night.

Coastal provinces from Quảng Ninh to Nam Định are warned they may be hit by big waves combined with high tides, causing inundation in low-lying areas on Thursday.

In the meantime, floods with an amplitude of 1-3 metres are forecasted to hit local streams and rivers in northern provinces as well as provinces of Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An between Wednesday and Friday. Flash floods and landslides may hit mountainous areas at the same time.

Fishing vessels in the northern province of Quảng Ninh were yesterday urged to seek shelter to avoid the incoming typhoon. — VNA/VNS Photo

{ "id": "5ZceDeJzVn", "type": "myToolImages", "data": { "data": "" } }

Responses

In response, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control’s Office organised an urgent meeting to director relevant localities to cope with the typhoon on Wednesday morning.

Speaking at the meeting, deputy head of the Việt Nam Natural Disaster Management Authority Nguyễn Văn Tiến told the localities urgently carry out measures to ensure the safety of people and property on islands, aquaculture cages as well as construction works along the coast.

He also told localities, depending on the developments of the typhoon, to actively issue sea bans.

Localities and agencies are tasked to send reports regularly to the committee, he said.

Previously, the committee on Tuesday afternoon sent the official dispatch No. 24/CĐ-QG, asking coastal localities from Quảng Ninh to Khánh Hòa to actively take measures to cope with the typhoon.

The localities are told to inform offshore vessels of the typhoon’s developments and the dangerous zone, caused by the typhoon, so they could find safe shelters, the committee said.

The committee also ordered localities from the northern mountainous region to Nghệ An Province to evacuate people living in high-risk areas of flash floods and landslides to safe places.

The localities are also required to check reservoirs and dykes to ensure safety for people and property during the typhoon, the committee said.

The localities have to coordinate with local media to strengthen skills for local people to cope with natural disasters to minimise damages triggered by the typhoon.

The Ministry of National Defence and relevant agencies are assigned to prepare for emergencies, the committee said.

Colonel Nguyễn Đình Hưng, head of the Rescue Department under the Border Guard Command, said that as of 6:30am Wednesday, over 52,240 offshore vessels in the country were informed of the typhoon’s developments and directed to find safe shelter.

Most offshore vessels have moved out of the dangerous zone triggered by the typhoon.

The National Committee for Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue said that it has mobilised more than 50,000 soldiers and over 362,000 militia to cope with the typhoon.

It also prepared over 2,300 vehicles, including 127 special vehicles, and eight Air Force aircraft, to respond to the typhoon. — VNS