The tropical depression currently located in the East Sea with winds of up to 56 kph is likely to develop into a storm soon, the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center reported. At 1 am this morning, September 17, the depression was centered at 16.3 degrees latitude north, 112.7 degrees longitude east, in an area east-southeast of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago,  with winds of 39-61 kph and gusts of 62-88 kph. The storm is moving west-northwest at a speed of about 5-10 kph. At 1 pm today, it will sit at 16.6 degrees latitude north, 111.4 degrees longitude east, west of  Hoang Sa, with unchanged wind speeds.  The depression will likely strengthen into a storm within a few days and affect the coastal region from northern Ha Tinh to Phu Yen Provinces, said Le Thanh Hai, the center’s deputy director. At 1 am Wednesday the depression will be located at 16.5 degrees latitude north, 111.0 degrees longitude east, with maximum winds of 74 kph and gusts of 75-102 kph. Due to the depression, medium to heavy rains will occur in the region from central Nghe An to Quang Ngai Provinces from September 18 to 21. Flashfloods and landslides may occur in mountainous areas. The depression will also strengthen the southwest winds, spreading rain from the south-central region to the Central Highlands and southern provinces, Hai said. Due to the depression, the coastal area from Binh Thuan to Ca Mau Provinces and the southern area of the East Sea, including the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, will have rough seas and winds of 39-49 kph and gusts of 50-74 kph. Rains and thunderstorms will affect these areas.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms will also hit northern Vietnam, especially in delta provinces and northeast coastal provinces, the center said.