HCMC – Heavy rains and flooding are forecast to hit HCMC from this evening, October 26, until tomorrow due to the impact of a tropical depression, said Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, at a meeting held today.
Hiep told the meeting that the tropical depression could directly strike the three south-central provinces of Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen from this evening, packing winds at level 6.
Torrential rains could pound many provinces from Thua Thien-Hue to Binh Thuan, the Central Highlands and the southeastern regions from this evening. Many parts of HCMC, in particular, are likely to be heavily flooded due to heavy rain, Hiep added.
This year, natural disasters in the country could be less severe than last year, but local authorities have been told to stay on high alert. As heavy rains may lead to landslides and flooding in low-lying areas, Hiep asked the authorities of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai to assist residents.
The agriculture official also asked the border guards and local authorities to monitor the operations of fishing boats and ask them to take shelter.
He asked Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Thua Thien-Hue, the southern part of the Central Highlands, to pay close attention to areas prone to landslides. In the next three days, these localities were asked to dispatch forces to monitor and notify residents of any incidents caused by the unfavorable weather to ensure safety for people.
The local authorities were also told to ensure the smooth flow of traffic at the earliest to cope with the aftermath of flooding and storm and promote socio-economic growth, especially when the country has been hit hard by the fourth coronavirus wave.
According to the national weather center, the tropical depression was spotted some 220 kilometers from the coast of Khanh Hoa Province and some 210 kilometers from the coast of Ninh Thuan Province as of 1 p.m. today, packing winds of 70 kilometers per hour, gusting at level 9.
In the next 12 hours, the system is forecast to move westward at 15 kilometers per hour. By 1 a.m. tomorrow, it could be centered along the coast from Khanh Hoa to Binh Thuan.
For the next 12-24 hours, it could move west-northwest at 15 kilometers per hour, entering a central region from Khanh Hoa to Binh Thuan and then weakening into a low-pressure area in the southern part of the Central Highlands, with winds blowing below 40 kilometers per hour.
