Storm Saudel gains strength, heading toward mainland Vietnam
(VOVWORLD) - Saudel, the eight storm of this year, is moving west at a speed of 10-15 km per hour to the east-southeast of Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and is forecast to gain strength and bring rain to all localities across Vietnam in the coming days.
 Storm Saudel is heading toward the East Sea |
According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the wind power near the storm’s eye is around 60-75 km per hour, packing wind gusting up to category from 8 to 10. Due to prolonged heavy rain, the water level in different rivers in the central region have fluctuated around the second warning level, and central areas are facing a very high risk of landslides in mountainous districts.
Notably, many places in the central province of Ha Tinh are still isolated by flooding with thousands of households in districts being submerged. Wide-scale flooding will continue to be seen in urban areas of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces. Natural disaster risks caused by flash floods and landslides are at the third warning level.
In a dispatch issued on Tuesday, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Control asked localities to keep a close watch on the movement of Saudel and quickly inform vessels operating at sea about the approaching storm, making it easier for them to move out of dangerous zones at sea.
Storm Saudel is posing a big threat to central localities which have already been devastated by record rainfall of up to 3,000 mm over the past 10 days. The recent severe flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain in the central region left 106 dead and 27 others missing as of Tuesday.