Storm No. 9 Weakens as It Approaches Vietnam

The storm is anticipated to further lose strength, evolving into a low-pressure area by tomorrow.

As of 7 AM on November 19, Storm No. 9 (Man-yi) has weakened to a Level 9 intensity, with winds reaching Level 11. The storm is positioned about 350 kilometers east-northeast of the Hoang Sa Archipelago in the northern part of the East Sea. Its westward movement is at a speed of 15-20 km/h, and further weakening is expected.

Weather Forecast: By 7 AM on November 20, the storm’s center is projected to be around 190 kilometers northwest of the Hoang Sa Archipelago. Wind speeds are anticipated to decrease to Level 7 (50–61 km/h) with gusts at Level 9. Within the next 12 hours, Storm No. 9 is expected to drift towards the waters off Central Vietnam at 10 km/h, transitioning into a tropical depression and ultimately fading into a low-pressure system.

Areas Affected: The northern East Sea, including the waters surrounding Hoang Sa, will likely face winds at Levels 6–7, with peak gusts near Levels 8–9, reaching up to Level 11 closer to the center of the storm. Waves could rise to 3–5 meters, reaching 5–7 meters near the storm’s core, resulting in extremely turbulent seas. Maritime operations in these regions will be severely affected due to the high winds and hazardous wave conditions.

Rainfall: Over the last six hours, regions from Thua Thien Hue to Binh Dinh have experienced moderate to heavy rain. Soil moisture measurements indicate that saturation exceeds 85% in various locations, with some areas completely saturated, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides significantly.

Bao Anh