HÀ NỘI — A freshly formed tropical pressure zone in the South China Sea (East Sea) is likely to develop into a storm, prompting localities to take preventive measures against its possible impact.

The announcement of the potential storm brewing in the area came from the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

The latest update from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that by 8am on Wednesday, the tropical pressure zone was located at 21.1 degrees north latitude and 112.7 degrees east longitude, off the coast of Guangdong Province of China. Maximum wind speed in the zone is 60km per hour.

It is forecast to move west at a speed of 10km per hour in the next 12 hours and may develop into a storm, the centre said.

By 7am on Thursday, the tropical storm is forecast to be at 20.9 degrees north latitude and 110.9 degrees east longitude, off the eastern coast of China’s Leizhou Island, with the wind speed at the eye of the storm reaching 90km per hour.

In the next 24 hours, the storm keeps moving to the west at a speed of 15km per hour towards the Tonkin Gulf.

 In an urgent message sent to localities and the relevant ministries and agencies yesterday, the committee instructed the authorities of coastal localities, from Quảng Ninh to Hà Tĩnh and the mountainous provinces, to keep a close watch over the development of the tropical pressure zone and inform vessels operating offshore to actively seek out anchorage and avoid dangerous areas.

Authorities in mountainous areas are required to provide timely updates on rainfall and floods and to inform the local people of the need to adopt proper preventive measures. These authorities must also check areas prone to flash floods and landslides to ensure the protection of human safety and property.

Localities are also instructed to check dams and reservoirs and to be ready in terms of both equipment and personnel to conduct search and rescue activities in cases of emergency. — VNS