Storm Kajiki forms over East Vietnam Sea

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that at 7:00 am the same day, Kajiki’s center was located about 480 kilometers northeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) special zone, with maximum sustained winds at level 8 (62-74 kph) on the Beaufort scale and gusts up to level 10 (89-102 kph).

The storm was traveling west-northwest at around 25 kph and is expected to intensify further over the next two days.

By 7:00 am on Monday next week, its center is projected to be over waters off north-central Thanh Hoa Province to Hue City, packing winds at level 11-12 (103-133 kph) and gusts up to level 15 (167-183 kph).

Kajiki could make landfall in central Vietnamese provinces like Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Quang Binh on Monday.

The national weather agency issued an emergency storm bulletin due to its fast movement and potential peak intensity.

Heavy downpours and flooding are expected in northern and north-central Vietnam between Sunday and Tuesday next week, with rainfall of 150-300 millimeters, and some areas forecast to receive more than 600 millimeters.

The storm may cause flash floods, landslides, and serious flooding in low-lying and urban areas.

Kajiki is also expected to bring storm surges of 0.5 to one meter along the coast from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, with water levels reaching up to 3.7 meters in Nghe An and 3.6 meters in Thanh Hoa.

Strong winds and rough seas are forecast across the northern East Vietnam Sea, with waves reaching 4-6 meters.

Vessels in affected areas are advised to take shelter.