Southern Vietnamese localities are preparing for the worst as tropical storm Tembin, the 16th to hit the country this year, is closing in on the region with destructive power.

The typhoon was located 340 kilometers east of Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) islands on Sunday morning, packing winds at 100 to 115km per hour, and gusts at 166km an hour, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting reported.

The affected diameter is about 120 kilometers from the eye of the storm.

By Monday morning, Tembin will have been located in the western part of Truong Sa, with winds reaching 115 to 135km per hour.

Strong winds will cause waves as high as eight to ten meters at sea.

The storm is expected to continue traveling west and to be situated in the maritime area off the coastline from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province to Ca Mau Province.

According to Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the forecasting center, such a fierce storm, the 16th this year, is unprecedented at this time of the year.

Tembin will reach the disaster level when it makes landfall in the region with the current wind speed, he stated.

The expected journey of Typhoon Tembin from December 23 to 26, 2017. Photo: National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting

A typhoon in the southern region can be more destructive than in the central part due to flat terrain, Hai continued.

As there are not many mountains, it will take longer for the storm to weaken, the official said, warning that it would likely decrease in diameter rather than in wind speed.

Heavy downpours, extreme winds, and floods are anticipated in the southern provinces under the effect of the typhoon.

Evacuation plans

Authorities in southern localities and the Mekong Delta are planning for the evacuation of over 234,000 households with nearly 950,000 residents.

Thousands of fishing ships have been ordered to take shelter during the time.

In Ho Chi Minh City, about 5,000 people in outlying Can Gio District are expected to be relocated, Le Thanh Liem, vice-chairman of the municipal administration, said, adding that some 2,000 residents on local islands had already been moved to safer areas.

The sea at Con Dao Islands, off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on December 24, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

About 117,500 residents in the coastal areas of Tien Giang Province will be evacuated to local schools and other institutions.

In Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, some 78,000 people will be cleared, while about 1,500 fishers from Con Dao Islands will also be provided with shelters.

The People’s Committee in Soc Trang Province is considering the relocation of over 139,000 citizens.

Measures will be taken to protect 100,000 hectares of paddy fields and about 3,500 hectares of shrimp farms, which are close to harvest seasons.

Typhoon Tembin previously made landfall in the southern Philippines on Friday.

As of Saturday evening, at least 130 people had been killed while countless others are still missing.

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