All people living in areas vulnerable to Typhoon Nesat should be evacuated before the storm hits land in the northern region on Sept. 30, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has said.

Hai chaired an urgent meeting with flood and storm search and rescue officials on
Sept. 29 afternoon in Hanoi to implement measures to cope with the approaching typhoon and current flooding in the Mekong Delta.

Typhoon Nesat, the fifth major storm this year, is forecast to strike between the northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh on Sept. 30 with wind speeds expected to reach 117km/h, said deputy director of the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre Le Thanh Hai.

Hai said the typhoon was forecast to weaken to low pressure when it reaches the mainland, but warned it would bring strong winds, rough seas and heavy rains in the northern and central provinces from Sept. 29 evening.

Sea water is forecast to rise to 3-5m high and rains in the northern region, including Hanoi , will reach 150-300mm.

Meanwhile, a cold spell is forecast to hit the northern region also on Sept. 30 with the temperature in Hanoi dropping to 20-21 degree Celsius, Hai added.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has instructed the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control to set up three missions to monitor storm prevention efforts at Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces and another mission to check flood control work in the Mekong Delta region.

Provinces from Quang Ninh to Nghe An are instructed to ban vessels from operating offshore and urge local authorities to prepare houses, mines, ports and construction projects ahead of the storm.

Local authorities in these provinces have actively taken measures to cope with the flood and prepared rescue forces and vehicles, and the border guard reported more than 39,700 vessels with over 179,000 people on board have been directed to anchor in safe areas./.