Coastal areas to prepare for bad weather

HÀ NỘI Coastal localities from Quảng Bình to Cà Mau and Kiên Giang have been directed to proactively respond to a tropical low-pressure system in the East Sea that is likely to gain strength during the April 30-May 1 holidays.

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting has warned that the tropical low-pressure system appeared in the eastern part of the East Sea on Thursday.

It is moving west and will bring torrential rains, thunderstorms and strong winds from the sea between Phú Yên Province to Cà Mau Province, as well as the central and southern parts of the East Sea, including the western sea of the Trường Sa (Spratly) Islands between Friday and Saturday.

During the storm, there is a possibility of tornadoes and strong gusts of wind. Waves could reach 1.5-2.5m high, the centre said.

Therefore, localities have been instructed to closely monitor weather forecasts about developments of the tropical low-pressure system.

The steering committee of the localities are also told to mobilise forces for emergencies.

They must also allocate staff to be on duty during the holidays and send reports regularly to the steering office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

In a related movement, the Ministry of Public Security on Thursday sent an official dispatch, No 03/ CĐ-V01, to its units in the localities to direct them to support the localities to cope with the tropical low-pressure system.

The units have to arrange traffic police to control and guide traffic in flooded and isolated areas to ensure smooth traffic on main traffic axes, the ministry said.

They are required to be ready to help local people to harvest agricultural products, crops and aquatic products if necessary, the ministry said.

The units must allocate police and vehicles to coordinate with relevant forces to evacuate and relocate people out of dangerous areas and conduct search and rescue at the request of the localities, the ministry said.

The units also must regularly send reports on the situation to the ministry’s office.

In another development, a cold spell is predicted to hit the northern and north-central region on Saturday, causing torrential rains for provinces from Thanh Hóa to Thừa Thiên Huế between Saturday and Sunday.

Due to the cold spell, the temperature will drop to 16-18 degrees Celsius in the northern mountainous provinces and 18-21 degrees Celsius in the north and north-central region since Saturday.