According to the national weather service, at 13:00 on August 3, the location of the tropical depression was on the southern sea of Guangdong province (China), about 120km south-west of Hong Kong (China), packing strongest winds of 50-60km/h.
It is forecast that in the next 24 hours, the tropical depression will move in a north-easterly direction, at about 10km per hour, and is likely to strengthen into a storm. In the next 24 to 48 hours, the storm will move in a north-easterly direction, at about 10km per hour and is likely to get stronger.
By 13:00 on August 5, the location of the storm will be about 340km east of Hong Kong, with the strongest winds at its centre between 75-90km/h. In the following 48 to 72 hours, the storm is likely to move in a north-easterly direction at a speed of 15-20km per hour.
Heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds and rough seas with waves from 3-5m high are expected in the northernmost part of the East Sea.
The same predictions have been made for the waters off provinces from Binh Dinh to Ca Mau, as well as the waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, due to the strong influence of a southwest monsoon from today to August 7.
According to guidance from the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the concerned authorities need to notify vessels and boats operating at sea on the above developments in order to take a proactive response to ensure safety and make appropriate plans, whilst maintaining communication to get ready for search and rescue missions.
Experts advise fishermen and crew members to regularly monitor weather forecasts and pay attention to the sky and sea surface to recognise any dangerous weather conditions and then to promptly bring their ships ashore or away from the affected areas.
