Between 12 and 13 tropical storms are expected to hit the East Vietnam Sea this year, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting stated during a conference on Thursday.

Held in the north-central province of Nghe An, the gathering was held to discuss potential consequences of future storms and their expected effects, such as flooding, on the country.

The national forecast center stated that weather phenomena such as typhoons, torrential rains, and cyclones will be accompanied by potential devastation.

Twelve to 13 storms are anticipated to occur in the East Vietnam Sea by the end of 2018, four or five of which are expected to directly impact the mainland of the Southeast Asian country.

The majority of the typhoons are forecast to hit the seas bordering northern Vietnam, the center stated.

Vietnam witnessed only two storms in the first half of this year, with the latest weakening into a tropical depression without hitting the mainland on June 5.

In 2017, a total of 16 storms hit the East Vietnam Sea from mid-June to late December.

According to Vu Xuan Thanh, an official in charge of disaster prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, last year’s typhoons and floods dealt immense damage to embankment systems throughout the nation.

About 416 problems related to local dams were recorded, Thanh elaborated.

The most serious incident occurred in mid-September, when Storm Doksuri devastated 55 kilometers of dams from the northern city of Hai Phong to the north-central province of Thua Thien- Hue.

“Local authorities have faced multiple challenges, namely a lack of material, equipment, and financial capacity, to repair and renovate their embankment systems over the past few years,” the official continued.

Given the current situation, authorities are recommended to focus their resources on resolving serious problems that happen during this year’s stormy season, he added.

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