HANOI (Vietnam News/ANN): Vietnam is bracing for another powerful storm in the South China Sea as communities in the south-central region struggle to recover from the country’s deadliest flooding in years, which has already left more than 100 people dead or missing.
Typhoon Verbena entered the South China Sea early on Nov 26, with forecasters expecting the system to strengthen as it tracks across open water over central South China Sea on Nov 27.
The storm is projected to shift gradually westward and slow down after Nov 28, before weakening later in the week.
Japanese and Hong Kong meteorological agencies also expect Verbena to intensify over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The storm is moving towards the south-central localities, which are continuing to clear mud, debris and shattered homes after days of torrential rain triggered catastrophic flooding.
As at 5.30pm on Nov 25, at least 108 people had been reported dead or missing – with 98 confirmed deaths and 10 missing – with Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces suffering the heaviest casualties.
The authorities warn that Verbena could bring another round of widespread heavy rain from Nov 28, raising fears of renewed landslides and flash floods in areas already weakened by last week’s deluge.
Vietnam’s Military Region 5 forces convened an emergency meeting on Nov 25 to coordinate storm response efforts.
Colonel Phan Dai Nghia, deputy commander and chief of staff, ordered units to halt non-essential activities and prepare forces and equipment for rapid deployment.
Border Guard units have been instructed to work with the local authorities to ensure the safety of crews and vessels at sea, and to notify shipowners and captains of the storm’s path as it approaches.
Military Region 5 has also dispatched three working teams to Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa – the three hardest hit by flooding in the past days – to support flood prevention measures and prepare for the storm’s landfall.
Col Nghia said agencies must learn from shortcomings in the recent flood response and be ready for prolonged heavy rainfall caused by the storm’s circulation.
“We must concentrate all resources on responding to Storm Verbena,” he said.
Verbena is the 15th storm to form in the South China Sea in 2025, along with five tropical depressions, making it the region’s second busiest storm year in three decades, trailing only 2017. -- VIETNAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
