Viet Nam braces for Storm Mulan

From the night of August 10, the storm is expected to bring heavy downpours in coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh provinces. 

A sea-going ban was temporarily issued, starting from mid-Wednesday as part of precautious measures to ensure safety for local residents.  

At 7:00 am on Wednesday Storm Mulan was located 480 kilometers southeast of northern Quang Ninh province, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The highest wind speed was recorded at 62-88km per hour with gusts up to 117km an hour.

It is forecast to move in west-northwesterly direction at a speed of 15-20km per hour in the next 24 hours.

At 7am on August 11, the storm would be just 70km south of Mong Cai city  of Quang Ninh and 110km east of Hai Phong.

Under the influence of the storm, the northern part of the East Sea, including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, will experience strong wind with 4-to-6-metre high waves and rough sea.

The northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin, including the island districts of Co To and Bach Long Vi, will likely see strong wind at 62-74km per hour near the storm centre and 2-to-4-metre high waves from June 10 evening. Coastal localities are also urged to watch out for high tides.

From August 10 afternoon to August 11, the northern region and the north central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An should expect heavy rain between 100-200 mm, with certain areas recording rain levels up to 250 mm.

From 7am August 11 to 11am August 12, Mulan is expected to move west-northwest, with a speed of 15km per hour. It will weaken into a tropical depression over the northern region of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam should expect 10-12 storms and low-pressure areas in the East Sea this year, with around half making landfall.

The first storm this year, Chaba, arrived in July./.