The Northern region is on high alert as typhoon Matmo, the 11th storm in Vietnam this year is moving toward the Gulf of Tonkin.
The storm is forecast to directly impact coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Hai Phong starting the evening of October 5.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that Matmo is expected to unleash a devastating combination of heavy rainfall, towering waves, and a high risk of flooding and landslides across numerous regions. Authorities are urging residents to take immediate precautions.
As of 5 a.m. this morning, the typhoon's eye was pinpointed near 19.9 degrees North latitude and 112.0 degrees East longitude, placing it approximately 110 kilometers east-northeast of China’s Hainan Island. Matmo is currently a powerful system, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 133 km/h (level 12), with savage gusts reaching a formidable level 15. The storm is tracking rapidly west-northwest at approximately 25 km/h.
By 4 p.m. the same day, the storm is forecast to be near the western coast of the Leizhou Peninsula (China), roughly 250 kilometers east-southeast of Quang Ninh Province, maintaining winds of level 12 and gusts up to level 15.
By 4 a.m. on October 6, typhoon Matmo will move inland over Quang Ninh–Hai Phong, weakening slightly to level 9 (75–88 km/h) with gusts up to level 12. It will continue northwestward at 20 km/h, impacting coastal and inland areas from Quang Ninh to Hung Yen and parts of Lang Son. The storm is expected to weaken further into a tropical depression by early October 7 as it moves into the northern mountainous region.
Authorities warn that all marine and coastal activities—including tourism vessels, cargo ships, aquaculture farms, and coastal infrastructure—are at serious risk from high winds, rough seas, and storm surges.
From the night of October 5 to October 7, widespread heavy rain is expected across Northern and North-Central regions.
