Storm Bualoi is moving twice as fast as other storms

Storm Bualoi is moving twice as fast as other storms

Providing forecasts on the storm's path, Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, stated that as of 1:00 p.m. on September 26, the storm's center was located over the central Philippines with maximum sustained winds of level 11 and gusts up to level 14.

On the evening of September 26, Storm Bualoi is predicted to enter the eastern part of the central East Sea and become Vietnam's 10^th storm of the year. On September 27, the storm is forecast to strengthen to level 11–12, with gusts up to level 15. By September 28, it will continue to intensify, reaching level 13 with gusts up to level 16. On the morning of September 29, the storm is forecast to make landfall in the Thanh Hoa-Ha Tinh provinces with sustained winds at level 12 and gusts up to level 15.

According to Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Storm Bualoi is moving twice as fast as other storms and is predicted to reach its peak intensity of level 13 with gusts up to level 16 in the period from September 28 to 29.

"Due to the terrain of the central region, the strong winds of the storm will bring heavy rainfall to areas from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri starting September 28. The Northern midland and mountainous areas, as well as Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, will face a risk of flash floods and landslides," Mr. Khiem warned.

Major General Pham Hai Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue under the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, stated that after receiving information about the storm, the Ministry of National Defense promptly issued instructions for response missions to all units from Military Region 1 to Military Region 7.

"Due to the vast area projected to be affected by Storm Bualoi, units have prepared comprehensive response plans and have urged fishing vessels operating in coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Lam Dong to return to safe shelters," Major General Pham Hai Chau said.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue added that when the storm makes landfall, it will bring heavy rainfall, while reservoirs have already stored about 80% of their capacity at the end of the rainy and storm season. Therefore, units have planned for the worst-case and most dangerous scenarios to ensure timely response measures.

"The units will continue coordinating with local governments to be ready to establish a forward command post in Military Region 4 to respond to Storm No. 10. At the same time, Hotline 112 is now operational to receive emergency disaster information, and localities must widely inform residents," Major General Pham Hai Chau emphasized.

No subjectivity after the mild impact of Storm No. 9

Mr. Pham Duc Luan, Director of the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, warned that Storm No. 10 is forecast to affect the central area of the East Sea, where many fishing vessels are operating. Localities must mobilize all measures to urge and guide vessels to leave dangerous areas or seek safe shelter.

At the same time, with the strong winds of Storm No. 10, localities must urgently prune trees, reinforce and secure houses, and prepare measures to ensure safety and minimize damage to warehouses, offices, public facilities, industrial zones, and factories, as well as power and telecommunications networks. Plans must also be in place to quickly repair any damage and maintain operations without disruption before, during, and after the storm.

"Currently, a large area of about 45,000 hectares of seasonal rice remains unharvested. Therefore, localities need to urgently mobilize military forces, police, local militia, and self-defense forces to help farmers harvest as quickly as possible," Mr. Luan emphasized.

In particular, Director Luan also warned that most reservoirs are already at full capacity, while Storm No. 10 is forecast to bring heavy rainfall, posing significant safety risks. As a precaution, early flood discharge plans should be considered, accepting a certain level of risk to ensure the safety of hydropower reservoirs.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep warned that Storm Bualoi is a strong storm moving at twice the normal speed, with no current factors capable of weakening its intensity. "The back-to-back landfall of Storms No. 9 and No. 10 presents an especially dangerous situation. People must not become subjective in the face of Storm No. 10, as Storm No. 9 had a mild impact. This is particularly critical in areas that were recently affected by Storms No. 3 and No. 5, where recovery is still incomplete. When this storm hits, the potential for severe damage is extremely high," the Deputy Minister cautioned.

Given Storm No. 10's fast movement, the Deputy Minister emphasized that all response activities at sea must be carried out with greater urgency. The evacuation of fishing vessels from dangerous zones must be implemented urgently. While it is not necessary to bring all vessels back to shore, local authorities must issue sea bans earlier, even 48 hours before the storm is expected to make landfall.

In addition, Storm No. 10 is forecast to bring "multiple hazards," including strong winds, heavy rain, flooding, and landslides. The leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has therefore requested that plans to evacuate residents from dangerous areas be prepared with scenarios proportionate to the storm’s intensity and level of threat.

The Deputy Minister also noted that because the storm may have a direct impact on the morning of September 29, coinciding with the first Monday of the week, localities should consider closing schools to ensure the absolute safety of students. 

Besides, the Deputy Minister especially stressed the importance of ensuring safety for dams and reservoirs. Hydropower plants and irrigation reservoirs in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An must proactively review and calculate early flood-discharge plans, as prolonged heavy rainfall will certainly increase inflows to large hydropower reservoirs.

Currently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has assessed the actual situation in localities, directing Departments of Industry and Trade to swiftly complete recovery efforts from Storm No. 9 while maintaining duty shifts to respond to Storm No. 10.

The Ministry has also required construction projects to prepare storm-prevention plans and be ready to suspend operations as the storm approaches. With heavy rainfall expected, the Ministry has identified areas at risk of isolation or disruption and has prepared measures to ensure the supply and transport of goods to these locations.