Central region urged to brace for heavy downpours and massive flooding
VOV.VN - With a tropical depression in the East Sea being forecast to develop into a storm, central localities have been asked to make thorough preparations in a bid to cope with heavy rains and severe flooding in the next few days.
According to details given by the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the central region is anticipated to enter the peak of heavy rain from October 14 to October 16 with total rainfall in some places measuring over 800 mm.
Forecasters said that at 4 a.m., the tropical depression’s eye was located approximately 330 km east of the mainland of Quang Ngai - Binh Dinh. Moving forward, it is expected to travel northwest at a speed of between 10 km and 15 km per hour and is likely to gain strengthen to become a storm.
At 4:00 a.m. on October 15, the storm's center will be located on the waters of Da Nang - Binh Dinh, with sustained winds reaching between level seven and level nine.
Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said that the storm is forecast to reach strongest winds of level eight when it entered the localities of Quang Nam - Binh Dinh area on the morning of October 15.
Furthermore, the weather pattern will trigger heavy downpours in the central, south central, and Central Highlands regions over the next three days, said forecasters, adding that there will be massive flooding hitting low-lying areas, deltas, and coastal provinces from Quang Tri to Phu Yen.
Most notably, severe flooding is anticipated to take place over four districts with 58 communes in Thua Thien - Hue, seven districts with 75 communes in Quang Nam, and seven districts with 74 communes in Quang Ngai.
Experts have warned about the potentially high risk of flash flooding and landslides occuring in the midland and mountainous areas of provinces from Quang Tri to Phu Yen, Kon Tum, and Gia Lai.
They also urged localities to evacuate residents from districts which are typically prone to risks of landslides such as Phong Dien, Nam Dong, Huong Tra (Thua Thien - Hue); Bac Tra My, Nam Tra My, Phuoc Son, Tay Giang (Quang Nam); Son Tay, Minh Long, Ba To, Son Ha, Tra Bong (Quang Ngai); Daklei, Kon Ray, Tu Mo Rong (Kon Tum).
People residing in coastal provinces from Thua Thien - Hue to Phu Yen are therefore urged to prepare for high sea waves and high tides that could lead to severe flooding in low-lying areas in the early morning October 15 to October 16.
As a means of proactively responding to the weather pattern, Thua Thien Hue province’s authorities have called on vessels operating at sea to seek shelter from the storm. In addition, they require hydropower reservoirs to operate and regulate water levels in a bid to ensure people’s safety and to reduce potential property damage.
