Tropical Storm to hit Vietnam by Kirsty McCabe
Vietnam has been urged to batten down the hatches as a tropical depression develops in the southern East Sea and threatens to make landfall this weekend.
Heavy rain and strong winds of up to 55 mph (88kph) are forecast to hit Vietnam’s coastline from central Quang Ngai province to the country’s southern most Ca Mau cape. The tropical storm system may well intensify within the next 24 hours and is expected to move northwest at around 6 mph (10 kph). The eye of the depression is currently 200 miles (322 km) east of the Vietnamese coast.
The Vietnamese government has ordered fishing boats to shore ahead of the coming storm as officials claimed that nearly 160 fishing boats with over 4000 fishermen are still at sea.
This is the second tropical storm to threaten Vietnam this year. Quang Ninh, in the country’s northern province was hit by tropical storm Toraji early last month, but caused minimal damage.
Last year, more than 600 people were killed in Vietnam by storms and flooding.
