Tropical storm Goni threatens to bring further rains to central Vietnam

Tropical storm Goni is forecast to combine with cold air and bring heavy rains to a wide swathe of Vietnam’s central provinces from Thua Thien Hue to Phu Yen, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides.

The region had been battered by intense rains, serious flooding and deadly landslides throughout October, killing more than 100 and damaging houses, crops and roads.

Mai Van Khiem, director of the national weather agency, said hundreds of millimetres of rains are expected to pummel the region from November 4-7.

As of 1pm on November 3, Goni, the tenth storm to strike Vietnam in 2020 was located 370 kilometres to the southeast of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, with sustained wind speeds of 60-75 kilometres per hour.

It is expected to weaken to a tropical depression over the next few days as it approaches the Vietnamese coast.

Despite losing strength, the system remains dangerous as it will bring heavy rains and strong winds to coastal waters and the mainland.

Khiem noted that it is of particular threat to fishing vessels and coastal fish farms.

He also warned that with wind speeds at levels 8-9 on the Beaufort scale, Goni’s intensity and direction will be influenced by external systems, allowing its nature to change rapidly.

According to weather experts, there will be 2-3 more tropical cyclones in the East Sea (South China Sea) in November, which will also see cold air increase.
It is forecast that 4-6 cold spells will affect Vietnam this month, with stronger ones appearing in the final days of the month.