Storm Goni devolves into tropical depression, heads for south central Vietnam

By Pham Linh November 5, 2020 | 05:46 am PT

Satellite image of a tropical depression which used to be Storm Goni near central Vietnam's coast, November 5, 2020. Photo courtesy of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Storm Goni devolved into a tropical depression Thursday afternoon, but it is still expected to bring heavy rains to the central and Central Highlands regions.

At around 4 p.m., the tropical depression was about 200 km off the coasts Quang Ngai and Phu Yen provinces with maximum wind speeds of 60 kph, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

It is expected to move west-southwest at 10-15 kph, making landfall on Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen before devolving further into a low-pressure area.

As of 4 p.m. Friday it is expected that the low-pressure area would be above the Central Highlands with maximum wind speeds of 40 kph.

Around 8,000 have been evacuated ahead of the tropical depression's landfall.

Strong winds and rough seas should be expected in the seas off provinces from Quang Nam to Ninh Thuan, weather experts have said. The coasts of Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, southern areas of Quang Nam and northern areas of Phu Yen should also expect strong winds Thursday night.

Until Friday night, the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh should also expect heavy rainfall of up to 250 mm. Quang Tri, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Phu Yen and northern areas of Dak Lak should expect rainfall of up to 100 mm.

Goni was the tenth storm to appear on the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, this year.

Heavy rains, floods and landslides triggered by storms and tropical depressions devastated central Vietnam last month, leaving at least 166 people dead and many missing.