At 7am on September 19, the storm was located at latitude 17.5 degrees north and longitude 108.7 degrees east, about 190 kilometres east of the Quang Binh-Quang Tri coast.
Soulik has sustained winds of 62-74 kilometres per hour near its centre, with gusts of 89-102 kilometres per hour. The system is moving westwards at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour.
The storm is forecast to make landfall on Vietnam’s central coast later on September 19, before weakening into a low-pressure area as it moves further inland.
The national weather agency has issued warnings of heavy rain of 100-300mm on the night of September 19 and morning of September 20, which may trigger landslides and cause flooding in low-lying areas.
The coastal provinces from Ha Tinh to Da Nang are advised to take precaution against seawater level rises of 0.3-0.5 metres, which can combine with high tides and strong waves to cause damage to sea dykes and embankments.
