Kajiki nears north-central Vietnam, forecast to hit Thanh Hoa–Quang Tri tonight

At 7:00 am Monday, the storm was located about 160 kilometers east-southeast of Nghe An and 145 kilometers east of Ha Tinh, with sustained winds of 150–166 kph and gusts up to 220 kph, moving west-northwest at 15–20 kph.

Its center is forecast to be offshore between Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri by around 4:00 pm, before making landfall later in the evening and weakening as it moves inland.

Kajiki has already caused dangerous seas from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, with winds of up to 166 kph, gusts of 220 kph, and waves rising five to 10 meters high.

In the Gulf of Tonkin, winds have reached 111 kph with waves of three to five meters.

The coastal areas from Hai Phong to Quang Tri, as well as Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, have seen seawater rise 0.5–1.8 meters, posing high risks of flooding along dikes, river mouths, and coastal roads.

On land, strong winds of up to 117 kph and gusts of 166 kph have been reported from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri since Monday morning.

Heavy rain of 100–150 mm is forecast for August 25–26 across the northern midlands, the delta, Lao Cai, and areas from Thanh Hoa to Hue, with some locations exceeding 250 mm.

From Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, rainfall could reach 200–400 mm, locally over 700 mm, creating high risks of urban flooding, flash floods, and landslides.

Authorities in coastal provinces have implemented emergency measures as Kajiki approaches. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha convened an urgent meeting on Monday morning to oversee final preparations.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep warned that Kajiki’s winds could surpass those of typhoon Yagi in 2024 and urged localities to ban travel from noon.

He noted that coastal dikes from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri were built to withstand winds of only up to 102 kph, far below the storm’s forecast intensity.

Military Region 4 has mobilized nearly 117,000 troops and more than 1,200 vehicles and boats to support storm response in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, and Hue.

Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh, its commander, ordered all units to maintain full readiness, assist local authorities with evacuations, and prepare food and essential supplies to minimize damage from the storm.