VietNamNet Bridge – Tropical storm Sonamu was 230km east of Viet Nam's Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago in the East Sea by 7 p.m yesterday, Jan 4, according to latest report from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Photo: nchmf.gov.vn

The maximum sustained wind near the eye of the storm reaches 62-88km per hour.

A storm warning had been sent out to 46,600 offshore fishing boats, advising of the storm's progress. Only central Quang Ngai Province has ordered fishing vessels to move to safe anchorage.

The storm is expected to gain head in a west-southwest direction at a speed of 10kph, causing rough seas in the southern part of the East Sea, including the Truong Sa Archipelago. Coastal areas from central Binh Thuan to southern Ca Mau provinces will also experience strong winds and rough seas.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday chaired a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and relevant agencies to discuss safety measures.

Coastal localities were advised take action to ensure the safety for fishermen and offshore vessels, he said. A number of fishing vessels were still operating near Truong Sa, many of which lacked facilities and experience to deal with storms.

The committee heard that about 7,000 fishing boats were operating in the archipelago's waters and a further 56,100 were fishing in other parts of the East Sea.

Source: VNS