Storm Gaemi heads towards central region

As of 4 pm on October 3, the storm was 630 km south-southeast of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, with winds gusting at 89-102 kph near its eye.

It is expected to move south and then west at 5 kph and is likely to strengthen within the next 24 hours. The storm will turn north-northwest at 15-20 kph within the next 48-72 hours and is forecast to make landfall later Saturday in central provinces from Da Nang to Quang Ngai.

The storm will cause severe weather with torrential rain in many areas of the central coastal provinces within the next two days. It is also expected to bring strong winds and rough seas to the central East Sea, including the Paracel archipelago and territory off the coast of the mid-central region.

Vessels operating in the central of the East Sea are warned to keep informed of the storm’s movement and move out of areas it is likely to hit, while provinces from Quang Binh to Ninh Thuan are urging vessels not to leave their ports.

The Border Guard reported that more than 48,000 vessels with nearly 240,000 people on board are now being kept informed of the storm’s location and movements.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent diplomatic notes to the Chinese and Philippine embassies in Hanoi to call for support from their local authorities for Vietnamese fishermen and vessels in case of any emergencies during the storm.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked cities and provinces in the central region to keep a close watch on the storm’s development and work closely with the border guard to keep vessels and fishermen informed and guide them to safe shelter.

The Deputy PM also urged local authorities to take preventative measures to deal with flooding and prepare evacuation plans to move people out of dangerous area as the storm approaches.

Fishing boats anchored at Thi Nai Lagoon in Quy Nhon city, central Binh Dinh province