Vietnam braces for up to 5 more storms in East Vietnam Sea this year

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that storm tracks are expected to shift southward toward the end of the year.

Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy head of the national weather agency, said heavy rain triggered by storm Bualoi’s circulation was recorded on Monday morning in Quang Tri Province to Da Nang City in central Vietnam, with totals of 50-100mm, and some areas exceeding 150mm.

From Monday to Tuesday, widespread rain of 100-250mm is forecast in northern Vietnam and north-central provinces, with localized amounts over 400-500mm.

The weather agency warned of flash floods and landslides in Phu Tho, southern Son La, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri Provinces, and possible flooding in western Nghe An Province due to rainfall from upper Laos.

A new flood wave is expected from Wednesday, with upstream river levels rising 5-9m and downstream 2-5m.

The National Civil Defense Steering Committee urged localities in northern and central Vietnam to deploy disaster response teams, inspect vulnerable areas, reinforce dikes, and prepare to evacuate residents in high-risk zones.

Vietnam has already faced 10 storms this year.

Among them was super typhoon Ragasa in September, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the East Vietnam Sea, which devastated the Philippines and China before battering northern Vietnam.

Storm Bualoi, the 10th to hit the maritime region this year, made landfall in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam in the early hours of Monday, leaving widespread damage.

As of 2:15 pm on Monday, storm Bualoi had left 13 people dead, 13 missing, and 41 others injured, according to an official disaster report.

By 2:00 pm, the storm had weakened into a tropical depression after moving into northern Laos, about 50km from the Vietnam-Laos border, with sustained winds of 39-61 kph, said Mai Van Khiem, head of the national weather center.

The storm may continue to weaken into a low-pressure system and dissipate tonight.

Although Bualoi has weakened, its circulation is still bringing strong winds of 39–61 kph, gusting 75-102 kph, to coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa Provinces, along with heavy rainfall across northern Vietnam and Thanh Hoa.

Strong winds and high waves also persist in the Gulf of Tonkin.