Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development and head of the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Cao Duc Phat yesterday chaired an emergency meeting on plans to deal with ‘Melor’ super storm after it entered East Sea.
Map of 'Melor' typhoon direction. (Photo: the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center)
The National Steering Committee of Natural Disaster Prevent yesterday asked more than 70,000 vessels operating in East Sea to leave damaged zones.
According to the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center, Melor is a strong storm with its complicated direction which appeared out of season. It is predicted to move East Sea’s southern region.
Because of the influence of storm circulation accompanied with the northeast monsoon, the eastern territorial waters of East Sea saw 7- 9 level strong wind. The strongest wind speed near center blew at level 10- 12, and gusted up to level 14- 15.
In next 24- 48 hours, the typhoon is going to move west southwards at 10- 15 kilometers towards Spratly Island.
By evening of December 17, ‘Melor’ storm will be located at 11, 4 degrees north latitude and 117 degrees east longitude, at 300 kilometers east of Song Tu Tay Island with its strongest wind speed near center at level 8- 9, and gust up to level 10- 11.
At present, border guard forces collaborated with local border army forces, families of fish ship vessel owners and captains instructed 70, 000 vessels with 360, 000 people move safer place to avoid the typhoon. Around 8, 138 people and 941 ships operating on East Sea and Paracel Island moved safer places.
At the meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat asked local border army forces and relevant ministries, departments and agencies to keep close watch of localization and direction of the super storm to release timely information to residents.
According to latest information from the Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center of Pacific Asia region, a new tropical low pressure appeared offshore East Sea which is forecasted to develop into a new storm next few days.
On the same day, the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevent and National Committee for Research and Rescue sent notices to its offices in the coastal provinces and cities from Da Nang to Ca Mau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking to help vessels anchor in safety.
