PHÒNG CHỐNG BÃO ! – Prevent storm damage – Prévention des catastrophes naturelles

The Central Hydro-Meteorological Center is not sure if Storm Hagibis will hit Vietnam or veer off course.

It said Wednesday that many international weather forecast centers had issued different predictions for the storm which lay centered 430 km southeast of the central coast.The storm is likely to continue heading northwest at 5 kph for the next 24 hours.The center said it packed winds of up to 133 kph.It would arrive 320 km southeast of the point between Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan provinces Saturday, it said.The southern part of the East Sea, including the Spratly Islands, would see rough seas and strong winds, it said.Heavy rains are also expected to lash the southern region, particularly provinces like Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Ho Chi Minh City.Another weather system, Tropical Storm Mitag, is now developing off the Philippines and is forecast to enter the East Sea Saturday. 

Storm preparations under way

The Central Steering Committee for Flood Control and Prevention issued an emergency dispatch yesterday instructing local governments in provinces all the way from Thua Thien-Hue to the Mekong Delta to immediately instruct seafaring vessels to dock safely.Stop fishing boats from going out to sea, the note stressed.Local disaster agencies were also told to stay in close touch with each other to undertake evacuation and rescue work if necessary.The HCMC Committee for Flood Control and Prevention convened a meeting yesterday to discuss preparation work.Authorities said work to evacuate over 11,000 residents in the city was under way.They told the administration of Can Gio District, where Storm Hagibis is likely to hit, to evacuate residents in storm-prone areas to safer areas.The municipal administration said agencies concerned should keep a close eye on possible floods and landslides if the storm hits the city.Other southern provinces in the Mekong Delta region are also bracing for the storm.Storms rarely hit Vietnam in November since the storm and flood season normally ends in October. 

Story from Thanh Nien News Published: 23 November, 2007