Storm Sinlaku devolves into tropical depression

At around 1 p.m., the tropical depression's center was over the coastal area from the northern Ninh Binh Province to the north central Thanh Hoa Province with maximum wind speeds of 50 kph, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said.

In the next 12 hours, the tropical system would move west-northwest at around 15 kph, going further inland before devolving further above Laos, it added.

Due to the tropical depression's impacts, strong winds and rough seas should be expected in northern Vietnam and several coastal regions Sunday.

The central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An as well as southern Vietnam should expect rains of 70 mm on Sunday afternoon and night, the center said. Northern Vietnam should also expect heavy rainfall of up to 100 mm a day until August 8, it added.

Hanoi should expect rains for the rest of Sunday, with more rains coming until August 8 as well.

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

The first storm, Nuri, came in mid-June. While it id not make landfall in Vietnam, it caused strong winds and heavy rains in several areas, including HCMC. At least one motorbike rider in the city was killed by a falling tree branch during a downpour on June 13.

The East Sea could see 11-13 storms and tropical depressions this year, half of them directly affecting the country, meteorologists have said.