Agriculture minister urges for active response to double tropical depressions

Minister Cuong was speaking at a meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control on September 3, discussing measures to deal with the double tropical depressions which are progressing on the mainland Vietnam and in the East Sea.

According to the national weather service, at 1 pm on Tuesday, the location of the mainland tropical depression, with the international name Kajiki, was on the coastal area of provinces from Thua Thien - Hue to Quang Nam, packing winds blowing from 40-50km/hour. In the next 24 hours, Kajiki is forecast to move in the northeast direction, at a speed of 5-10 km per hour.

By 1 pm on September 4, the location of the tropical depression is likely on the offshore waters of provinces from Quang Tri to Quang Nam, with the strongest wind blowing 40-60km/h. It is forecasted that in the next 48-72 hours, Kajiki will move mainly in the northeast direction at an average speed of 15-20km every hour and strengthen into a typhoon.

Regarding the tropical depression in the middle of the East Sea, it weakened further into a low pressure area this morning. At 1 pm on September 3, the centre of the low pressure area was at about 120km from the Vietnam’s Paracel archipelago to the northwest, with the strongest winds dropping to below 40 km/h. It is forecasted that in the next 24 hours, the low pressure area will move to the northwest towards Hainan Island of China.

The position and movement of the two tropical depressions. (nchmf.gov.vn)

According to Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), due to the impact of the tropical depressions, Ha Tinh and Hue are suffering from heavy downpours with an average rainfall ranging from 150-200mm.

It is forecast that provinces from Nghe An to Quang Ngai will continue suffering from heavy rains until September 5, with the total rainfall ranging from 300-500mm/batch, even 500-700mm in locales from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien - Hue and over 700mm/batch in other places.

Heavy rains from 200-300mm/batch are also predicted for the Central Highlands and the South 100-150mm, combined with strong winds and rough seas in the Tonkin Gulf and the sea areas from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai and from Ha Tinh to Quang Nam tonight and tomorrow.

Warning about the complexity of the double tropical depressions and the possibility that they would combine into one in the several coming days, Minister Cuong asked the relevant management agencies to closely follow and notify about the circulation of the depressions.

Saying that they could bring heavy rains to provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien - Hue until September 6, causing rapid rising floods, Cuong urged such localities to be alert in preventing landslides and flooding.

Minister Cuong, who is the deputy head of the Standing Committee for the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, also asked for measures to ensure safety of dams and downstream reservoirs, especially those under construction and in small hydroelectricity plants, focusing on the three large lakes in Thua Thien - Hue, the Ta Trach Lake and a lake in northern Quang Nam.

At the meeting, a quick report from the Border Guard High Command said that as of 6 am this morning, the provincial border guards from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa provinces have informed and instructed 71,462 vessels with 312,630 people on board on the movement and direction of the tropical depressions to avoid the dangerous areas.