FLASH UPDATE #1 – INVEST 93W, VIET NAM
OVERVIEW: As of 0900 HRS UTC+7, 30 March, an area of convection (INVEST 93W) was located near 10.8N 113.2E, approximately 754 km Southeast of Danang, Viet Nam according to Viet Nam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).
INTENSITY: INVEST 93W has consolidated over the last 12 hours and surface winds are around 33-43 km/h (18-23 knots) and minimum sea-level pressure near 1005 mb.
FORECAST:
- GFS: show slight intensification to near Tropical Depression (TD) strength just prior to landfall and dissipation over land.
- ECMWF: shows borderline development to near Tropical Depression (TD) near landfall.
- According to DTN, sustained winds of the INVEST 93W remains around 37 km/h (20 knots) and is forecast to continue to work across favorable tropical conditions in the South China Sea. The further development of INVEST 93W is still possible over the next 2 days.
- The potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is upgraded to HIGH (JTWC).
IMPACTS: NCHMF Viet Nam forecasts that 93W will intensify this afternoon (30 March) to April 2 in the Central region and the Central Highlands with the following impacts: moderate to very heavy rains, thunderstorms, possibility of tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong winds, risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas, and local flooding in low-lying areas and areas along rivers.
ADVISORY: The NCHMF has issued warnings for local flooding and landslides in Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Lao Cai, Bac Giang, Long Son, and Quang Ninh provinces; heavy rain in Central and West Highlands; and river warnings from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE: The Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has requested the Commanding Committees of disaster Prevention and Control of the provinces and cities to implement the following:
- Close monitoring of warning bulletins, forecasts, and timely information for authorities and people at all l3evlels to proactively prevent and minimise damage;
- Deploying task force to inspect and assess residential areas along rivers, streams, low-lying areas with high risk of floods, flash floods, landslides to proactively organise relocation and evacuation of people before disaster occurs;
- Response forces on standby for traffic control, and damage mitigation to agriculture sector;
- Regular reporting of the situation and direct professional agencies to coordinate with information and communication agencies, especially the grassroots information system to disseminate proper instructions on how to cope with the impacts of the storm and proactively prevent, avoid, and minimise damage.
The AHA Centre will continue to monitor and issue necessary updates once more information from official sources becomes available.
DATA SOURCES
- ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); Pacific Disaster Center (PDC Global); Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC); DTN; Tropical Tidbits;
- Viet Nam: VNDMA, NCHMF;
- Verified news media agencies.
