A tropical depression has formed in the East Vietnam Sea, bringing heavy rain to the southern part of the Southeast Asian country.

The low-pressure system was located some 680 kilometers southeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago at around 7:00 pm on Saturday, packing winds at 40 to 50 km per hour and squalls at up to 70 km an hour, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The tropical depression is forecast to travel northwestward at an average velocity of 15 km per hour.

By 7:00 pm on Sunday, it is expected to be around 350 kilometers northwest of Hoang Sa with wind speed measuring at 60 km per hour.

According to a weather expert, the depression is not likely to have direct effects on the mainland of Vietnam.

However, its circulation can still cause downpours in the southern region and rough seas in the East Vietnam Sea.

The effect of the climatic phenomenon could be felt in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday afternoon when an hour-long heavy rain soaked the metropolis at around 3:00 pm.

As the rain lingered until late at night, many city streets were severely inundated.

Water levels in the rivers in central Vietnam, the Central Highlands, and southern provinces are also rising.

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