The committee members are discussing the storm preparedness plan. (Photo: laodong.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster
Prevention and Control held an urgent meeting on November 2 to prepare for the
12th storm, internationally known as Damrey.
At the meeting, Hoang Duc Cuong, Director of the National Centre for
Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), said that the tropical depression in
the southern provinces’ sea has weakened to a low pressure zone.
On the other hand, the tropical depression on the East Sea had strengthened to
become storm No. 12 or storm Damrey on November 2 morning.
At present, the storm is at level 8 (of 18), however, when coming ashore, it
can reach levels 10 to 13.
Observatories in Hong Kong and Japan forecasted that storm Damrey can reach
levels 11 to 14 (of 18), posing severe weather threats.
The storm is forecast to reach southern central provinces on November 4, Cuong
said. The storm circulation will affect a vast area, from Binh Dinh to Ninh Thuan
provinces from November 3.
The strong storm and air mass can cause downpours, with total rainfall of up to
1,000mm.
Le Thanh Hai, NCHMF Deputy Director, warned about the dangerous consequences
caused by high tide and storm waves to the dyke system.
Tran Quang Hoai, Director of the General Department of Disaster Prevention,
said that the Department of Irrigation had commanded three missions to the
south for better reservoir management. The missions will now go to the southern
central provinces to prepare for the Damrey storm.
At present, the flood on Phu Yen province’s Ba River
and Nha Trang city’s Cai River is rising and is expected to reach its peak in
the next 6 to 12 hours.
Landslides and flooding are threatening provinces from Quang Nam to Khanh Hoa
and the Northen Central Highland.
Hoai said to proactively lower the water level in reservoirs and make proper
flood discharge plans, preventing artificial floods.
According to the NCHMF, the storm is moving towards west-southwest with a speed of 20km per hour and intensify.
At 4am of November 3, the storm’s centre was about 500km east of the coast of Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan provinces.
In the next 24 hours, Damrey is forecast to keep its direction and speed. At 4am of November 4, the storm’s eye will be on the sea area of Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan provinces. The strongest wind speeds may reach 100 – 135 km per hour. VNA