The storm is forecast to be one of the most powerful to hit the country this year.
On the afternoon of August 24, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, held a press conference in Hanoi to update the public on the storm’s trajectory and potential impact.
The storm center is in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri
According to Deputy Director Hoang Phuc Lam of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm's development has been exceptionally complex and unpredictable. The storm's path is almost entirely over the open sea, unobstructed by islands, which has allowed its intensity to remain stable and even increase, Lam stated.
As of August 24, the storm had developed a large eye with an extensive cloud band, expected to bring widespread rain across a significant portion of the Northern and Central regions upon landfall. The storm has maintained a rapid forward speed of 20-25 km per hour and has intensified by more than seven levels since it formed as a tropical depression on August 22.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting projects that the storm will make landfall between noon and the afternoon of August 25. The storm's center is expected to hit the central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Quang Tri, with wind speeds reaching levels 12-13 and gusts up to level 15 on the Vietnamese scale.
Meanwhile, international meteorological agencies have also issued heightened warnings for storm Kajiki, with similar projections for its landfall in the central region on August 25.
In a morning meeting on August 24, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development convened an urgent session to review and strengthen a coordinated response plan. Officials are focused on deploying resources and preparing local communities for the anticipated impact.
Deputy Director Vu Xuan Thanh of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said that 4 localities are ready to evacuate people to avoid the storm, including Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue City and Da Nang City.
A total of 152,387 households with 586,770 residents need to be evacuated to safe places before the storm makes landfall. As of the afternoon of August 24, 8 coastal provinces and cities from the Northern Province of to the Central Province of Quang Ngai implemented a sea ban to ensure the safety of boats. Localities from Thanh Hoa to Da Nang have made plans to evacuate more than 675,000 people, and at the same time called on hundreds of boats still operating at sea to take shelter.
Evacuation and sea travel ban
On the same day, provinces and cities within the North Central region have exerted every effort to swiftly implement response measures aimed at minimizing the damage inflicted by storm No. 5. In Hue City, despite the heavy rainfall, all vessels at Thuan An fishing port were directed by the Border Guard to safe anchorage in order to prevent storm-related damage.
Colonel Ngo Nam Cuong, the Deputy Commander of Military Region 4, has directly instructed military and border forces in the vicinity to remain close to their bases and provide timely assistance to the populace; they are to ensure that individuals do not seek refuge on boats or in precarious locations when the storm makes landfall. At construction sites throughout Hue City, efforts to respond to storm No. 5 are being urgently implemented.
Vice Chairman Hoang Hai Minh of the Hue City People's Committee stated that the locality will evacuate and relocate 52,186 individuals from 16,349 households in areas susceptible to flash floods, landslides, and coastal lagoons, based on the storm and flood conditions. Non-urgent meetings will be canceled or postponed, with a focus on directing responses to storms and floods. Simultaneously, the Quang Tri Border Guards have mobilized to assist residents in preparing for storm No. 5.
Ho Khien, the Head of Lom Village in Dan Hoa Commune, reported that soldiers from Ra Mai Border Guard Station visited each household to secure and repair roof tiles for residents.
At the estuary, border guards called out and guided boats to safe anchorages. Along the border, forces closely monitored key points, ready to evacuate people if necessary. In Con Co Special Zone, nearly 400 soldiers and residents were moved to storm shelters at 5:00 p.m. yesterday. Meanwhile, Ha Tinh Province mobilized all available forces to help residents secure their homes and auxiliary structures, relocating property to safe areas.
Chairman Tran Quynh Thao of the Dan Hai Commune People’s Committee reported that the locality deployed over 400 people including functional forces, residents, machinery, and vehicles to urgently transport hundreds of cubic meters of sand, boulders, and steel cages. These were used to reinforce vulnerable stretches of coastline in Tan Ninh Chau and Hoi Long villages, covering more than 200 meters. In Phuc Trach Commune, 21 households with 58 members of the Chut ethnic group were evacuated from Rao Tre Village to the community cultural center for shelter.
By the afternoon of August 24, rain had begun in Nghe An, with skies darkening at intervals. Residents hurried to secure their homes and move boats to shelters. At Tan Lap anchorage in Trung Lap Commune, fishermen brought their boats in from Loc My Village to avoid the storm. The Nghe An Border Guard Command deployed coordinated storm-prevention measures that coastal posts assisted residents in anchoring boats and reinforcing houses, while inland posts inspected landslide-prone areas and prepared evacuation plans.
Chairman Le Hong Thai of the Nhon Mai Commune People’s Committee confirmed that households at risk of landslides were ready to be moved to cultural centers, schools, and public buildings. In Thanh Vinh Ward, authorities urgently evacuated more than 1,000 residents from old and deteriorating apartment blocks to ensure safety ahead of storm No. 5’s landfall.
