HCMC - High-speed boat services between the mainland and Phu Quoc, Nam Du, and Hon Son islands have been suspended due to the impact of Storm Talim.

Vo Minh Tuan, deputy director of the Maritime Administration of Kien Giang, said that the high-speed boats and ferries shuttling between two mainland cities -  Rach Gia and Ha Tien - and Phu Quoc and other islands have been suspended until further notice. Passengers holding tickets for the affected trips will have the option to cancel or change their tickets free of charge. According to the Southern Hydro-meteorological Center, Storm Talim has caused strong winds and rough seas from Ca Mau Province to Kien Giang Province. As of 10 p.m. yesterday, July 15, Storm Talim was spotted around 780 kilometers east-southeast of Luichow Peninsula (China) with a maximum wind of 74 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a level 8, gusting at level 10. By the night of July 18, the storm will be in the northern Gulf of Tonkin, with maximum winds reaching levels 10-11, gusting at level 13. Due to the storm’s impact, in the next 24 hours, the coastal areas from Ca Mau to Kien Giang, including Phu Quoc, will experience strong winds at level 6, gusting at levels 7-8, with high waves from 1.5 to 3 meters. Rough seas, rain showers, thunderstorms, and tornadoes are expected in the area. Phu Quoc Island is around 120 kilometers east of Rach Gia City and 45 kilometers west of Ha Tien City. Over 30 high-speed boat trips from the mainland to Phu Quoc are operated every day.