Central localities plan to evacuate 460,000 residents ahead of storm Vamco

At 7:00 a.m. on November 14, the storm was around 390 kilometers east of the coast between Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue Province with winds of up to 165 kph, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

It is moving northwest at a speed of 20 kph, and by 4 p.m. Saturday is expected to lie around 190 kilometers off the coast.

From Saturday into next Monday, localities from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai  provinces will expect total average rainfall of 200-350mm, even over 350mm in some of their parts. The lesser rain amount hovering at 50-150mm is expected in some parts of Central Viet Nam from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An.

Earlier, authorities decided to close airports in Da Nang, Chu Lai in Quang Nam, Phu Bai in Thua Thien-Hue, Dong Hoi in Quang Binh, and Vinh in Nghe An in a precautious move.

Meanwhile, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh have closed beaches and banned boats from going out to sea from Friday.

All localities have urged people not to leave home from Saturday afternoon.

Vamco is the third storm in November and 13th to hit Viet Nam this year.  The previous storm, Etau, made landfall on November 10 and weakened into a tropical depression, causing heavy rains in south central and central provinces.

Floods caused by storm Etau claimed at least five lives the central provinces./.

By Thuy Dung