Tropical storm Soulik to bring heavy rain to central Vietnam

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.