Locals warned of Storm Mulan due in Gulf of Tonkin early Thursday morning

A satellite image of storm Mulan in Vietnam's waters, 5.30 p.m. August 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting

Localities from the northern to the northern central regions have been requested to gear up personnel and equipment for Storm Mulan, which is predicted to enter the Gulf of Tonkin.

Storm Mulan is set to hit Vietnam’s northern coast, from Quang Ninh to Nam Dinh, at around 4 a.m. Thursday with wind speeds of up to 74 kilometers per hour.

It was centered around 200 kilometers from Bach Long Vi Island in northern Hai Phong City as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the next 12 hours, it would move west-northwest at 15-20 kph and will hit the seas of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh Thursday morning before weakening into a tropical depression.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Mulan will move between China’s Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island at a speed of 65 kph before entering Quang Ninh and Hai Phong.

The Hong Kong Observatory has traced the same path but estimated wind speed at 55 kph.

In the next 24 hours, the above-mentioned localities are set to experience strong winds and waves.

A cadre from the steering board for natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue of Co To district, Quang Ninh province, calls on fishermen to seek shelter on August 10. (Photo: VNA)

From Wednesday morning until Friday, the entire northern region and the two north-central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An will receive rainfall of 100-200 mm, and 250 mm in some places during the period, the meteorologists estimate.

Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Thai Binh have shut down their beaches starting Wednesday noon and called for ships to return to land.

Tourists on islands have been evacuated to mainland areas and those who remain will be placed in safe locations, authorities have said.

Vietnam should expect 10-12 storms and low-pressure areas in the East Sea this year, with around half making landfall, the weather experts say.