Tropical depression near Vietnam grows into storm

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, a tropical depression in waters east of central Philippines had strengthened into a storm by 7 a.m. Saturday, carrying winds of 74 kph and moving west at 20 kph.

The storm is forecast to lie off the eastern coast of the Philippines' Luzon at 7 a.m. Sunday, before moving into the eastern area of the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, by 7 a.m. Monday, winds intensifying to 75-88 kph.

By 7 a.m. Tuesday, the storm will be over the northern East Sea and strengthen further with winds of 89-102 kph.

The Japan Meteorological Agency projects that after strengthening on Sunday, the system will enter the East Sea with winds near 72 kph and later peak around 90 kph. The Hong Kong Observatory forecasts maximum winds of about 110 kph near the northern Paracel Islands off Vietnam's central coast before the system weakens as it turns west-southwest.

Vietnam's meteorological agency noted that as the storm moves into the East Sea, a cold air mass from the north could begin to push southward, potentially causing the system to weaken at sea.

National forecasters say Vietnam may face up to three additional storms or tropical depressions over the East Sea before year-end, with one or two likely to make landfall.

So far this year, 11 storms and four tropical depressions have formed in the South China Sea. Among them, storms Wutip, Wipha, Kajiki, Nongfa, Ragasa, Bualoi, and Matmo brought heavy rain and flooding to northern and central Vietnam.

Natural disasters since January have left 241 people dead or missing in Vietnam, injured 389 others, and damaged more than 261,000 homes. More than 594,000 hectares of rice and crops were flooded, while 30,800 livestock and 2.7 million poultry were lost, causing an estimated VND53.8 trillion (US$2.1 billion) in damage.