Vietnam evacuates 500,000 as typhoon Haiyan looms
Sunday, November 10, 2013, 01:32 GMT+7
Vietnam is bracing for the arrival of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which has forced the evacuation of about half a million people in the central region.
>> Super Typhoon Haiyan to make landfall in Vietnam early Sunday >>Typhoon Haiyan forces mass evacuation in Vietnam>> Da Nang to evacuate 20,000 families for super typhoon Haiyan >> Vietnam bracing for most powerful storm in 10 years
Haiyan will be the 14th storm to hit Vietnam this year, and is expected to make landfall in the country’s center tomorrow, November 10. On Friday the typhoon tore through the Philippines, killing more than 1,200 people and causing widespread destruction.
As many as 494,213 people, including 177,821 people in Da Nang city and 20,000 in Quang Tri province, have been evacuated to safe places, local authorities said.
It was estimated that 1,848 boats with 7,342 crewmembers on board in Da Nang have taken shelter.
According to local authorities, three people in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces died while taking measures to cope with the typhoon.
Central coast to bear the brunt
As of 10pm today (November 9), the typhoon was centered about 210km south of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, packing winds of up to 166kph, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) reported.
In the next 24 hours, the typhoon will move west – northwest along the coastal areas in central Vietnam at a speed of 30kph.
As of 10pm on November 10, the typhoon’s eye will be located off Quang Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces with winds of 103 to 133kph, together with gusts of 134 to 166kph.
In the following 24 to 36 hours, it will move northwest and may change its direction to north - northwest at a speed of 25km.
As of 7am on November 11, the typhoon will be centered at 19.3 degrees latitude north and 105.3 degrees longitude east, in the north-central region with winds of 75 to 102 kph and gusts of 103 to 133kph. Later that day Haiyan may switch toa north-northeast course at 15 to 20kph, and will likely weaken to a tropical depression.
At 7pm on November 11, the tropical depression will be centered at 21.0 degrees latitude north and 106.2 degrees longitude, in the northeast, with winds of 39 to 49kph and gusts of 50 to 61kph.
It will then move north- northeast at a speed of 15kph and weaken to a low pressure area.
