17-7-2023 (HANOI) As Storm Talim approaches Vietnam, northern coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of their residents. Approximately 30,000 people are set to be evacuated ahead of the storm, which is forecasted to make landfall on July 18.
The province of Thai Binh is carrying out the largest evacuation efforts, with over 19,000 individuals being relocated from high-risk areas and aquaculture zones.
The decision to evacuate was announced during an online meeting held on July 17 between the National Steering Committee for Natural Disasters Prevention and Control and 27 localities in the northern and north-central regions. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, who heads both the steering committee and the National Committee for Search and Rescue of Vietnam.
To ensure the effectiveness of the evacuation efforts, the Border Guard Command has been informing vessels about the storm’s movements and direction. As of 6 am on July 17, a total of 52,188 vessels carrying over 226,000 people had been alerted. Currently, no vessels are reported to be operating in hazardous areas.
All 553 vessels and inland watercraft in the Quang Ninh to Nghe An area have received information about the storm. Additionally, steps have been taken to ensure the safety of tourists staying on the islands of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with a total of 17,414 visitors present as of 6 pm on July 16.
Local authorities are implementing preventive measures to protect their communities. Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, and Nam Dinh provinces have banned vessels from heading to or operating in the sea since noon on July 17, while Hai Phong initiated the ban from 7 pm on the same day. Other regions are closely monitoring the storm’s progress to determine appropriate actions based on their specific circumstances.
Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, warns that Storm Talim could be one of the strongest storms to hit Vietnam’s northern region in the past three to five years. Khiem predicts that the storm will directly impact the mainland on the morning and afternoon of July 18, bringing strong winds of up to 88 km per hour or higher.
The primary concern associated with Talim is heavy rainfall, which has the potential to trigger flash floods and landslides, particularly in the northern mountainous provinces.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has urged localities to adhere to the storm prevention and control directives issued by the Prime Minister on July 16. He emphasized the importance of coordination among authorities before, during, and after the storm to minimize its impact and protect lives and property.
