As indicated by Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm is moving 25 kilometers per hour, significantly faster than the average 10–15 kilometers per hour typical for tropical cyclones in the region.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has called for urgent action in response to the storm.
On the afternoon of August 23, the ministry issued an emergency directive to provincial and municipal authorities from Quang Ninh to Gia Lai, urging immediate measures to secure flood-control dikes and irrigation works as typhoon Kajiki and heavy rainfall approach.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported that the tropical storm is currently moving rapidly at the speed of around 25 kilometers per hour. It is forecast to strengthen to category 10–11 (89-117 kilometers per hour) as it nears the Paracel Islands on the morning of August 24, and could intensify further to category 11–12 (117-133 kilometers per hour), with gusts up to category 15 (183 kilometers per hour) as it approaches the waters off the area from Thanh Hoa to Hue on the morning of August 25 before making landfall in Central Vietnam.
As updated by the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 3:00 p.m. on August 23, the storm’s center was located near 17.5 degrees North latitude and 114.6 degrees East longitude, about 250 km east-northeast of the Paracel Islands. Maximum sustained winds reached category 9–10 (88-102 kilometers per hour), with gusts up to category 12 (118-133 kilometers per hour).
Forecasters warn that over the next three hours, the storm is expected to continue moving west-northwest at around 25 kilometers per hour and is forecast to directly impact the northern part of the East Sea later tonight.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep urged local authorities to act swiftly and strictly comply with Directive No. 141/CD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister.
Under its urgent dispatch, the ministry has instructed provinces and cities to review and reinforce flood defense plans, with special attention to vulnerable dykes, unfinished construction works and high-risk locations.
Localities were urged to intensify patrols along dikes during the rainy season and prepare personnel, supplies and equipment under the “four on-the-spot” principle to deal with emergencies immediately.
Local authorities have been instructed to promptly notify residents, vessel operators and coastal facilities, and to prepare emergency evacuation plans for households in high-risk areas.
As for irrigation and water infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ordered a thorough review and classification of reservoirs and dams at risk of failure, particularly smaller reservoirs managed at the commune level.
Reservoirs should be drawn down to create flood storage. Unscheduled flood releases are prohibited to prevent risks to downstream communities. The operator must provide advance warnings prior to any discharge.
Provincial and municipal authorities are required to identify in advance areas prone to flooding, proactively operate irrigation and drainage systems to ensure water removal for both production and daily life, and closely monitor the development of the storm, heavy rainfall and the condition of dikes and irrigation infrastructure.
Any incidents must be reported immediately for coordinated response.
The urgent directive was sent to 12 localities, including Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Gia Lai.
