Moving direction of Typhoon Mun. The storm no.2 is considered as mild. -  Photo Courtesy of the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre

HÀ NỘI — Typhoon Mun is forecast to hit the coastal localities of Quảng Ninh and Hải Phòng on Thursday, according to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre.

The second storm of the year is expected to strengthen when entering the Gulf of Tonkin yet still remain at level 8 of 12.

The storm will bring rain to the northern-central provinces of Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh and Thanh Hoá on Wednesday and in the Red River Delta and the northern mountainous area on Thursday.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường urged authorities of affected localities to build response plans for the storm.

The centre’s deputy director Hoàng Phúc Lâm said the rainfall in the mountainous area and the delta could range from 100 to 250mm and 100 to 150mm, respectively.

Landslides and flash floods may occur near mountains.

Colonel Trần Văn Đình, head of Rescue Department under Border Guards High Command, said 1,640 tourists including four foreigners were still on Quảng Ninh Province’s Cô Tô Island. He asked local forces to ensure their safety.

“We have instructed more than 56,000 boats caring nearly 229,340 people to take shelter,” he said.

The storm’s wind force is considered mild, however, Cường urged forces and local authorities to tighten response mechanisms, especially in reservoirs, northern mountainous areas and northern central provinces which have just suffered forest fires due to prolonged hot weather. — VNS