The National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control (NSCFSP) and the National Committee for Search and Rescue (NCSR) have sent telegrams to provinces and cities which are likely to be hit by the storm, urging them to evacuate people and vessels out of danger areas.

By 1pm on October 1, the storm, the fifthof its kind,was located at 15.5 degrees north and 112.7 degrees east or around 170km south-east of Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands. Gusts near its centre ranged from 89 to 117kmph (10-11 categories) and were gaining strength. The storm will directly affect north-western provinces.

It is forecast that in the next 24 hours, the storm is expected to travel north-west at 10-15kmp. By 1pm on October 2, the storm centre will be around 17.1 degrees north and 111 degrees east around Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.

The storm will cause strong winds of 8 or 9 categories and rough seas in the north and middle areas around Hoang Sa Islands. There would be heavy rain in central provinces to be followed by flash-floods and landslides.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent diplomatic notes to regional countries and territories, asking them to help provide shelter for Vietnamese fishermen.

Earlier the NSCFSP and NCSR urged chairmen of provincial people’s committees and committees for flood and storm prevention and control from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang and relevant organisations to evacuate people out of danger areas.

The NSCFSP said by 6am on October 1, around 16,769 vessels with 111,967 fishermen on boat were still at sea.

The Quang Ngai border guards said by 9am on October 1, they had contacted 10,038 vessels with 8,200 fishermen on board.

The border guards in Duc Pho, central Quang Ngai province said on September 30, a fishing boat tried to set out to sea and was sunk by strong waves. With great effort they came to rescue all 12 fishermen in distress and brought them ashore.

Source: VOV