The tropical depression that is expected to develop into a storm was at a latitude between 17.4 – 18.4 degrees North and a longitude of 116-117 degrees East on the northern waters of the East Sea, the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center reported Sunday.
The center forecast the depression would move west between 5-10 kilometers per hour (kph) and could strengthen into a typhoon by 4 a.m. Monday.
It is expected to reach typhoon force at latitude 18 degrees North and longitude 115.7 degrees East, some 470 kilometers off the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago at 7 p.m. tonight with gusts of up to 89-102 kph.
Meteorologists also reported the tropical depression had a complicated trajectory and could last for between three and four days.
Severe rough seas are expected to hit the northern waters of the East Sea Monday, with wind speeds of up to 102 kph in certain areas.
Binh Thuan Province in the south central region to Ca Mau Province in the Mekong Delta will also experience strong-gale force winds of between 75-88 kph, meteorologists said.
The High Command of Border Guard Rescue Department reported Sunday agencies in six coastal provinces in the central region, from Quang Tri to Binh Dinh provinces, had warned fishing vessels [about the tropical depression].
A total of 6,262 boats with 47,426 fishermen at sea were instructed to head to safe waters, the department said.
Further inland the south and Central Highlands are expected to experience heavy downpours, the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center said. However, hot weather was forecast for the north and north central, it added.
Possible floods are predicted in the Mekong River system with water levels increasing by between 10-15 centimeters a day, the center said.
By Thursday, the water levels could rise to 2.95 m at Tan Chau station and to 2.3 meters at Chau Doc station in An Giang Province, it said.
Dong Thap Muoi and the Long Xuyen rice growing zones in the Mekong Delta could also experience floods.
Quang Duan - Mai Vong