According to the national meteorological agency, the storm is located 20.6 degrees north latitude and 113.2 degrees east longitude on the water south of China’s Guangdong province, as of 13h00 on August 13.
The sustained wind speeds near the eye of Bebinca have reached 60-75 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour.
Bebinca is forecast to approach Vietnamese waters off the coast of provinces from Quang Ninh to Nam Dinh on August 16, making it the fourth storm to hit Vietnam this year.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rains to Vietnam’s northern region, which has been reeling from flash floods and landslides in the past two months.
As many reservoirs are now almost full and dams are threatened by rising water levels, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention has called for measures to ensure the safety of these structures and evacuate people in disaster-prone areas if necessary.
Frequent communication with vessels operating in the areas is also requested to ensure prompt action is taken in the case of emergencies, as well as ensuring the safety of people and properties, especially tourists on the sea and islands.
The steering committee also called for a close watch of the storm and rains in order to prevent flooding in urban and agricultural zones, especially in the capital Hanoi.
