Four provinces enforce sea ban in wake of Typhoon Ragasa

The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh province issued a notice temporarily suspending permits for vessels to operate in local waters from 10am on September 24 until the final bulletin on the storm is issued.

Meanwhile, the Hung Yen Provincial People's Committee issued a sea ban from 12am on September 24. Vessels and ships are requested to seek shelters before 6 pm of the same day.

The local authorities of Ninh Binh province also announced a sea ban and instructed urgent measures to cope with the approaching super typhoon, with a focus on ensuring the absolute safety of residents – particularly the elderly, children, pupils, and other vulnerable groups. Strict safety protocols have also been applied to vessels at sea, coastal operations, and inland activities.

Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Le Hong Vinh also issued a public telegram to ban vessels setting sail from mid-Wednesday.  

Super Typhoon Ragasa to weaken before slamming into Viet Nam   

At about 7am on September 24, the storm's center was at about 21.3 degrees North and 113.7 degrees East, some 620km east of the northern province of Quang Ninh.

By 7am on September 25, the storm will be on the waters off Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with wind speeds at Levels 10–11, gusting above Level 13. It is expected to move northwest at some 20–25km per hour and continue to abate. The northern Gulf of Tonkin and northeastern region will face a disaster risk at Category 3, the third highest on a five-level scale.

By 7am on September 26, Ragasa is predicted to be located on the northwestern region, with wind speeds dropping to below Level 6. It will move westward and continue to weaken into a tropical depression and then a low-pressure area.

However, from the evening of September 24 through September 26, heavy rainfall is expected across the North, and the north-central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, with total rainfall ranging from 100–250mm, even exceeding 400mm in certain places. This poses a risk of urban flooding and low-lying areas, flash floods in small rivers, and landslides in mountainous areas./.