HCM CITY — The National Hydrometeorological Forecast Centre this morning reported that Typhoon Tembin, the 16^th tropical storm over the East Sea this year, has weakened into a tropical depression in the south of Việt Nam.

At 4am on Tuesday, the eye of the tropical depression was some 8.5 degrees north, 105.2 degrees east, right along the coast of Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau provinces. The strongest winds in the area near the eye of the tropical low pressure levelled at 6-7 (40-60km/hour) and shock level was 9.

The tropical depression is forecast to keep moving west for the next 12 hours, with wind speed of 15-20km/hour. 

In the next 12 to 24 hours, the tropical depression will continue to move west to the Gulf of Thailand. The strongest wind in the centre of the low pressure area will drop to below level 6 (below 40km/hour).

On Tuesday, the sea areas from Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu to Cà Mau and on the mainland of Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau provinces have experienced gusts of wind at level 6.

In addition, due to the influence of the tropical low pressure circulation combined with cold air over the sea from Quảng Ngãi to Bình Thuận (including Phú Quý Island) there will be strong winds of level 6, gusts of wind of level 8 and risk level of disaster at level 3.

Moderate rainfall is forecast in the south and heavy rains will last for 2-3 days in the south central and mid-central provinces. From Tuesday night, moderate and heavy rains are likely to extend to the north central and north regions.  — VNS