DNO - Storm Wipha entered the northeastern area of the North East Sea early on Saturday and officially become the third one to hit the maritime area this year, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
On Saturday, Wipha recorded sustained winds of level 9 (75-88kph) on the Beaufort scale and gusts up to level 12 (118-133kph), moving northwest at around 20kph.
By 7:00 am on Sunday, the center of the storm will be at about 21.8 degrees north latitude and 115.7 degrees east longitude in the northern area of the North East Sea, about 600 km east of Leizhou Peninsula (China), with sustained winds of level 10-11 (89-117kph) and gusts up to level 13 (134-149kph).
It is expected to reach the Leizhou Peninsula (China) by Monday. At around 7:00 am on July 22, the storm No. 3 will be located at about 20.5 degrees north latitude and 107.5 degrees east longitude in the Gulf of Tonkin with the strongest wind force of level 9, gusting to level 12.
Due to the storm's influence, eastern areas of the northern East Vietnam Sea will experience increasingly strong winds at level 6-7 (39-61kph), strengthening to level 10-11 (89-117 kph) near the center, with gusts reaching level 13 (134-149kph).
Wave heights are expected to range from four to six meters. Vessels in these areas may be affected by thunderstorms, strong winds, and rough seas.
To proactively respond to storms, especially for ships operating at sea, the Da Nang Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue and Civil Defence has issued an urgent telegram requesting local authorities and relevant units to promptly notify owners of ships still operating at sea of information about the storm so that they can proactively avoid or not move into dangerous areas.