Storm Chaba to bring rain to northeast

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at around 10 a.m. on Saturday the storm lay centered 310 km east-southeast of Quang Ninh Province, home to Ha Long Bay, and packed winds of 118-133 kph.

In the next three hours it is expected to move northwest at a speed of 15-20 kph.

The center predicted Chaba would make landfall over the Leizhou Peninsula in China on Saturday and continue to move into Guangxi region that borders Vietnam.

Under its impact, Vietnam’s northeast will get rains of 50-150 mm, and more than 200 mm in some places, between Saturday evening and Sunday.

The northeast comprises the provinces of Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, and Yen Bai.

The coastal region should expect strong waves of 6-8 m high, and provinces from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh should be prepared for floods in low-lying areas, the center said.

Weather stations in Japan, Hong Kong and the U.K. made similar forecasts, saying Chaba would make landfall over Guangxi within Saturday.

Chaba is the first storm to appear in the East Sea this year. The period from June to October is normally the rain and storm season in Vietnam.

Some 10-12 storms are expected to enter Vietnamese waters this year, with around half making landfall.