Janice R. Andrews
Typhoon Yagi is getting stronger; as of Thursday morning, its strongest winds were reaching 183 km/h. Experts in meteorology say that Yagi could become a super typhoon within 24 hours as it moves towards the coast of northern Vietnam.
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) said that Yagi was over the northern seas of the East Sea at 7 a.m. on Thursday, about 520 km east of Hainan Island in China. At the moment, the storm is moving westward at a steady 10 km/h.
At 4 a.m. on Friday, Yagi is expected to be only 210 km away from Hainan Island, with wind speeds that could hit 201 kph, making it a real super typhoon. From there, it will likely pass by China’s Leizhou Peninsula and hit the Gulf of Tonkin late Friday night or early Saturday morning. As it gets closer to land, the wind speed will likely drop to 134 to 166 km/h.
The storm is due to hit land on Saturday in the coastal area of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, Vietnam. It will affect a large part of northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, the country’s capital. As the typhoon moves inland, the whole area is getting ready for a big effect.
International Weather Predictions and Alerts
Weather offices all over the world are keeping a close eye on Typhoon Yagi’s progress. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the wind speed is 180 kph right now and will reach a peak of 198 kph later on Thursday. The Hong Kong Observatory has also called Yagi a super typhoon, and wind speeds of up to 210 km/h are predicted. The U.S. Navy’s weather service says the storm will get stronger to 205 km/h as it gets closer to the Leizhou Peninsula.
According to a new prediction, foreign sites think that Yagi’s path has changed slightly to the north. This means that it may pass closer to China’s Leizhou Peninsula instead of going through the strait between the peninsula and Hainan Island as was originally thought. This could cause the storm to run into more resistance as it gets closer to land, which could slightly weaken its power.
Vietnam Gets Ready for Impact
Hoang Phuc Lam, Deputy Director of the NCHMF, warned that lightning and thunderstorms could happen in northern Vietnam even before Yagi’s centre hits land. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected across northern Vietnam from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning, when the storm’s effects will be at their strongest.
Storm Yagi is expected to do the most damage in the north and north-central regions, especially along the coasts of Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh. Strong winds and heavy rains will cause a lot of damage. In the next 24 hours, the NCHMF says that winds of 103 to 149 km/h will blow through the northern East Sea, and waves of up to 7 to 9 metres will be present.
Heavy rain is expected in northern and north-central Vietnam from Friday night to Monday morning. Totals will be between 100 and 300 mm, and some places could get more than 500 mm. Flooding could happen in low-lying areas, flash floods in small rivers and streams, and landslides in hilly areas because of the heavy rain.
As a result, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has told the provinces in the north and centre to take action. Alerts have already been sent out by coastal areas like Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, and boats are being asked to return to shore for safety. As these places get ready for Yagi’s arrival on Thursday, there will be a ban on all boats.
With typhoon Yagi, the third big storm of the year has hit Vietnam.
