Northern Vietnam prepares for storm Mirinae

Hanoi (VNA) – The Prime Minister on July 27 ordered the administrations of northern localities and the northern central province of Thanh Hoa, and relevant agencies to promptly brace for Typhoon Mirinae that will hit the mainland later that day.

Mirinae, the first storm to hit the East Sea this year, is predicted to land in the provinces from Thai Binh to Nam Dinh in the evening and directly affect areas from the south of Quang Ninh to the north of Thanh Hoa, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

At 4 pm of July 27, the eye of Mirinae was at about 20 degrees north latitude and 106.8 degrees east longitude, just off the coast from Thai Binh to Ninh Binh provinces. It sustained winds of up to 90 km per hour.

In the next three to 12 hours, the tropical storm will move west-northwest at about 15 – 20 km per hour and abate to a tropical depression. At 4 am of July 28, its centre is forecast to be in the northern delta with the strongest winds of 60 km per hour.

Thanh Hoa and the northern provinces have been warned of downpours, flash floods, landslides and floods. Total rainfall will be between 100 – 200 mm, even 300 mm at some places.

To provide for the storm, the PM asked the coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa to call on vessels working in the Tonkin Gulf to take shelter and ban boats from sailing offshore. They must evacuate people working on boats, aquatic farms, low-land areas and regions prone to landslides, while reinforcing houses and ensuring safety for mines, ports and tourism sites.

The mountainous provinces have to keep a close watch on rainfall developments to timely inform local administrations and residents about emergencies, ready evacuation plans in flood and landslide-prone areas, control waterway traffic, and release water in reservoirs already full to prepare for heavy rainfalls.

Meanwhile, low-land localities have to ensure the safety of dams, reservoirs and crops, and gear up for possible floods in cities.

The National Committee for Search and Rescue and the ministries of defence and public security were requested to direct their subordinate bodies’ coordination with local authorities in evacuation, security protection, and search and rescue when necessary.

Other ministries were also asked to play their part to brace for storm Mirinae.

In the afternoon of July 27, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung inspected preparations in Hai Phong city. The municipal People’s Committee reported it urged boats at sea to take shelter before 6 pm, evacuated residents in susceptible areas, and banned waterway vehicles from operating from 10 am the same day.-VNA