The low pressure zone was located roughly 600km to the east of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago at 7am on July 30. It was causing strong winds and rough seas in some parts of the East Sea, with waves reaching between two and four metres in height. 

During the course of the next 48 hours, the low-pressure is expected to move west and north-west at a speed of 20km, making it likely to strengthen into a tropical depression.  

The tropical depression will then be positioned in the sea northeast of the Paracel Islands at 13:00 on July 31, packing winds of between 40km and 60km per hour close to its centre.

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting has therefore advised all fishing vessels operating in potentially dangerous areas of the sea to get information updates and seek safe shelter.  

The depression is forecast to dump heavy rain on northern and north-central coastal provinces in the coming days. VOV