HÀ NỘI — The Standing Office of the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention sent a directive to the local committees for natural disaster prevention, search and rescue of coastal provinces and cities on a tropical depression in the South China Sea (called East Sea by Việt Nam) on Thursday.

The depression is forecasted to hit provinces from northern Quảng Ninh to central Khánh Hòa.

To actively respond to the tropical depression, the steering committees have been asked to inform owners and captains of fishing vessels on the sea about the location and direction of the depression.

They have been asked to take measures to ensure the safety of people and property, to regularly monitor and update the development of depression and to keep communications with vessels at sea.

The steering committees have also been asked to prepare equipment and human forces to be ready for prompt deployment of rescue teams when needed.

They will also organise round-the-clock patrol teams and regularly give updates to the Central Standing Office.

According to the Central Hydrological Forecast Centre, a low pressure crossed the north of Việt Nam early morning on Friday and will continue to cause heavy rainfall and widespread thunderstorms in the northern provinces.

Some places will have moderate to heavy rainfall, including Bắc Hà (Lào Cai Province) and Tam Đảo (Vĩnh Phúc Province), with rainfall of 48mm;Vĩnh Yên (Vĩnh Phúc) 22mm; Bắc Ninh, 22mm; Hải Dương, 38mm; Hà Đông (Hà Nội), 21mm; and Hưng Yên, 19mm.

Due to the influence of the low pressure, the northern region is likely to witness rainfall and thunderstorms from Friday night to Saturday night. The mountainous areas in the region will see moderate to heavy showers.

Thunderstorms are likely to extend to the central region, particularly in Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An provinces receiving moderate to heavy rainfall. They are likely to be accompanied by whirlwinds, hail and gusts.

Rain and scattered thunderstorms, accompanied by whirlwinds and gusts, are expected in Hà Nội until Friday night.

The north of East Sea is currently experiencing strong thunderstorms due to the impact of low pressure with axes at 21-23 degrees north.

In the next two to three days, there will be thunderstorms in the area, with likely occurrence of strong winds of level7-8 and sea waves two to 3.5m high, posing a disaster risk of level 1.

The Gulf of Tonkin is expected to receive rainfall and scattered thunderstorms, which may be accompanied by tornadoes and strong winds.— VNS