PM orders forces on standby as typhoon TALIM moves closer to northern coast

In a telegram released on July 16, the PM requested a number of ministries, agencies and localities to closely monitor the track of TALIM and keep people up to date about the typhoon; ensure safety for operations at sea; and devise evacuation plans in flood and landslide -prone areas.

He asked for measures to be immediately adopted to reinforce the dyke system, construction works, warehouses, public works, and factories as well as industrial parks before TALIM makes landfall.

Communications should be enhanced to inform people and encourage them to stay indoors during the height of the typhoon for safety reasons, the PM said in the telegram.

He also asked the designated agencies and localities to put personnel and resources on standby to timely deploy rescue work and overcome the consequences of the typhoon.

The telegram was dispatched to 27 northern and central provinces from Quang Ninh to Nghe An; and a number of ministries in charge of national defense, public security, environment, agriculture - rural development, transport, trade - industry, construction, information - communications, culture-sport-tourism, education-training, and foreign affairs.

The document was also sent to the National Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, and the National Committee for Disaster Incident Response and Search and Rescue.

At 4:00 July 17 TALIM was swirling across the waters about 340km east and south-east of China’s Leizhou Peninsula, with winds gusting up to 150kph near its centre.

In the next 24 hours, TALIM is forecast to move between west and north-west at a speed of up 20kph, and is likely to gain further strength.

At 16:00 July 18, the typhoon is anticipated to lose its strength a bit and strike the northern coast of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with maximum sustained winds of 120kph.

In the next 12 to 24 hours, TALIM will move further inland, weaken into a tropical depression and dissipate in the northern mountainous region.

This is a powerful storm that has not been seen in the northern region of Vietnam for several years, said Nguyen Van Huong, head of the Weather Forecast Division of the National Centre for Hydro Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

TALIM will bring rough seas to the northern coast of Vietnam as well as strong winds and heavy rain to the northern region, especially mountainous localities, said Huong.

He also warned of high rainfall reaching its peak on July 18 and possible flashfloods and landslides in mountainous localities.