A predicted trajectory of storm PABUK, the 10th storm in Vietnam’s waters this year. Graphics by Vietnam Disaster Monitoring System
A tropical depression near Vietnam’s Spratly Islands has intensified into a storm, internationally named Pabuk, but is expected to weaken as it approaches the coastline from Phu Yen to Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 1 p.m. on Monday, the storm’s center was located in the northwestern area of the Spratly Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 62–74 km per hour. The storm is moving west-northwest at a speed of about 10 kph.
Over the next 24 hours, the storm is predicted to continue in the same direction with similar wind speeds. From 1 p.m. Tuesday to 1 p.m. Wednesday, influenced by a cold spell, the storm is expected to shift west-southwest at 5–10 kph and gradually weaken into a tropical depression as it nears the coastline from Phu Yen to Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces, including Ho Chi Minh City.
By then, maximum winds near its center are forecast to decrease to 39–61 kph.
Japan’s meteorological station has forecast the storm to downgrade into a tropical depression by Tuesday, while Hong Kong’s meteorological station predicts it will weaken further near the waters off Binh Thuan Province by Wednesday.
Under the combined impact of the storm and a cold spell from the north, the central localities from Da Nang to Khanh Hoa should expect rains starting Monday night and continuing through Tuesday.
Rainfall is predicted to range from 40–100 mm, with some areas exceeding 200 mm.
This year, the East Sea has witnessed ten storms. Among them, storms Prapiroon, Yagi, Soulik, Trami, and Yinxing directly impacted Vietnam’s mainland. The most powerful, Typhoon Yagi, made landfall in the north, affecting 25 cities and provinces, including Hanoi and key tourism and industrial hubs.
So far this year, storms, floods, and landslides have left 513 people dead or missing in Vietnam, with economic losses estimated at VND84.9 trillion (US$3.33 billion).
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