with heavy rain and winds of up to 133 km per hour on October 27 night, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Boats are instructed to find safe habour (Photo: VNA).

As of 4 am on October 27, the storm’s eye was some 320 km north-northeast of Song Tu Tay island, with the strongest winds reaching 135-150 km per hour and gust of up to 167-183 km per hour. 

It is expected that by 4 am on October 28, the storm’s eye will be right over waters of the coastline from Da Nang city to Phu Yen province, with the maximum wind speed of 165 km per hour.

Torrential downpours will blanket the central localities from October 27-29. Inundation is forecast for lagoons and low-lying areas from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Ngai province.

The committee said Molave is as strong as Storm Damrey in 2017 which left 123 people dead or missing and caused damage worth 22 trillion VND (951.45 million USD).

Cities and provinces in the central region have well informed local vessels of the storm’s direction, instructed them to find safe habour, and worked to ensure safety for aquaculture activities.

Experts said locals should have plans on food and water for a couple of days, as well as keep updated with the storm’s developments.

PM orders nation to brace for approaching storm

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to keep a close watch on and outline preventive measures against storm Molave, which entered the East Sea on October 26.

As of 10 am on October 26, Molave, which is numbered 9th in Vietnam this year, was some 620 km east-northeast of Song Tu Tay Island, with winds of up to 135 km/h, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

It is expected that by 10 am on October 28, the storm’s eye will be right over waters close to the coastline from Da Nang city south to Phu Yen province, with winds in the eye reaching 100-135 km/h and gust of up to 167-183km per hour.

After making landfall in the central region, the storm will weaken to a tropical low-pressure system.

Heavy rains will blanket central localities from October 27 to 29, according to the centre.

In his dispatch, the PM asked ministries, agencies, and localities to give top priority to ensuring the safety of life and property.

Efforts should be taken to evacuate residents and vehicles from dangerous areas. Ships should not go out to sea.

Localities were requested to outline plans regarding food, medicine, and essential items for areas prone to flooding. Human resources, vehicles, and equipment must be ready for emergencies.

The National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Public Security must stand ready to support localities to evacuate local people and carry out search and rescue operations. Meanwhile, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and media agencies have been ordered to improve communications work to raise public awareness about the storm.

1.2 million to flee as typhoon Molave nears

Vietnam is likely to evacuate approximately 1.2 million people if typhoon Molave forecast to make landfall on October 28 sustains its speed, suggested the General Department of on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control. 

Molave slammed into the Philippines and entered the East Sea on October 26 morning, packing winds of 135kph near its centre.

The typhoon is moving west and north-west at speeds of 20-25kph and is likely to gain further strength when it churns close to the central coast of Vietnam.

The General Department of on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control has developed a plan to evacuate 1.2 million people in case Molave sustains its speed, said Tran Quang Hoai, director of the department, at an urgent meeting to deal with the typhoon on October 26.

Mass evacuations will be carried out in coastal, low-lying and flood-prone areas, as well as in tourist resorts to protect people’s lives before the typhoon makes landfall, Hoai said.

Fishing boats should be banned from setting sail, and those who fail to obey the rule will be duly dealt with according to the law, he suggested.

According to Hoai, relevant agencies had informed more than 59,000 fishing boats with 589,000 people on board about the position and track of the typhoon.   

Several coastal localities such as Quang Nam and Da Nang said they will have completed the evacuation of local residents before 15.00pm October 27, in addition to closing schools over two days, Oct. 27-28.

Molave is the ninth storm to hit the East Sea this year. It is as powerful as Damrey which hit Vietnam in 2017, leaving 123 people dead and missing.

Typhoon Molave lashes Philippines’ Luzon island, 12 fishermen missing

Storm Molave to lash central region

Typhoon Molave lashes the southern part of the Philippines’ main Luzon island overnight on October 25, dumping heavy rains, toppling power lines and leaving at least 12 fishermen missing. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Typhoon Molave lashed the southern part of the Philippines’ main Luzon island overnight on October 25, dumping heavy rains, toppling power lines and leaving at least 12 fishermen missing, disaster officials said.

The strong typhoon, packing wind speeds of 125 km per hour and gusts of up to 150 kph, caused flooding and prompted forced evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

There was no immediate report of casualties, but 12 fishermen at sea failed to return to Catanduanes province off the country’s eastern coast, an official of the civil defence office told the local DZMM radio, adding that they have been missing for 24 hours.

Search and rescue operations are underway.

Molave, the 17th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, follows Tropical Storm Saudel, which last week caused widespread flooding in Quezon province in the Calabarzon region, southeast of the capital Manila.

In Albay province, 15,000 evacuees were allowed to return to their homes but many areas remained inundated and without power.

About half of the Philippines’ 107 million population live in the Luzon region. The country is hit by an average 20 typhoons each year.

The agriculture agency said affected regions were able to harvest crops from some 133,292 hectares of farmland before the typhoon arrived, saving an estimated 530,593 tonnes of unmilled rice from destruction.

Molave is forecast to exit the Philippines on October 27 morning and head towards Vietnam./.VNA