Storm Maon to weaken over northern Vietnam

At 7 a.m. Thursday, the storm was about 100 km away from China’s Leizhou Peninsula, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. It is expected to move west-northwest at 25-30 kph, and would be about 100 km away from Quang Ninh Province’s Mong Cai with a maximum wind speed of 88 kph, the center added.

On Friday, the storm is expected to move in the same direction at 30 kph and weaken into a tropical depression, then finally a low-pressure area once it reaches mountainous regions in the north. Its wind speed would decrease below 39 kph then.

Rough seas should be expected within the next 24 hours. From Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, the coast of Quang Ninh, as well as Hai Phong and Lang Son, should see strong winds.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the storm had a wind speed at 90 kph Thursday morning and would make landfall on China’s Leizhou Peninsula. It would then travel parallel to the coast as it enters Mong Cai, devolving into a tropical depression with a wind speed of 72 kph.

The Hong Kong Observatory said Maon would retain its stormy strength and would enter Tuyen Quang Province, 400 km west of Mong Cai, with a wind speed of 75 kph.

Tran Quang Nang, from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said Maon would trigger rough seas and strong winds at the Gulf of Tonkin, as well as islands like Co To and Bach Long Vi. Vessels and other activities like fishing and tourism would be affected as a result, he added.

“There would be areas on land seeing rain levels above 250 mm… mainly on Thursday night. There would be high risks of floods and landslides in all mountainous regions of the north,” Nang said.

From Thursday afternoon until Friday night, northern Vietnam regions should see rain levels of up to 250 mm; Hanoi 100-180 mm and the north central province of Thanh Hoa 50-100 mm. Inundations should be expected, Nang said.

Maon is the third storm to make an appearance on the South China Sea this year. Due to the La Nina phenomenon, storms would come later this year, mainly during the latter half of the year and may come even in January next year.