Tropical Storm Wipha made landfall this morning along the coastal area between Hung Yen and Ninh Binh provinces, with peak wind gusts reaching level 11 (up to 103 km/h). Heavy rainfall is forecast to continue across northern delta provinces, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An, with some areas expected to receive more than 300mm of rain.

At 11 a.m. on July 22, Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, announced that the storm's center was over the landmass straddling Hung Yen and Ninh Binh. Maximum sustained winds near the center reached level 8 (62-74 km/h), gusting to level 10. The storm was moving west-southwest at 10-15 km/h and is expected to weaken into a tropical depression, then into a low-pressure area over Upper Laos.

However, Wipha’s circulation will continue to generate significant rainfall in the Red River Delta and North Central regions. Thanh Hoa and Nghe An are forecast to receive 150-300mm of rainfall today and tonight, with isolated locations experiencing even higher amounts.

Mr. Khiem emphasized the high risk of flash floods and landslides, particularly in the western mountainous areas of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa tonight.

"Extreme caution is needed not just tonight, but over the next two to three days,” he warned.

He also explained that the storm's cloud structure is concentrated in its southern quadrant. On July 21, as the storm entered the northern Gulf of Tonkin, its cloud bands brought rain to the northeast and northern delta regions, including Hanoi.

Now that the storm's center has shifted further south along the Hung Yen-Ninh Binh coast, the main rain bands are over Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and parts of Ha Tinh.

However, Khiem stressed that this does not mean northern areas like Hanoi are free from rain.

"Rain will still occur in the North but will be intermittent and less intense than in the south of the storm’s circulation. Precaution is still necessary,” he noted.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from July 22 to 23, the southern Red River Delta, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An will continue to see heavy to very heavy rainfall (100-200mm), with some areas exceeding 300mm.

Other parts of the North and Ha Tinh may experience moderate rain with localized heavy showers and thunderstorms (20-50mm), possibly over 100mm in some locations. There is a warning for high-intensity rainfall exceeding 150mm within three hours, which can cause flash floods, landslides in mountainous regions, and flooding in low-lying areas.

From the night of July 23 to 25, the northern region and the stretch from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh are expected to see continued heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms may be accompanied by whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and strong winds.

Flash flood and landslide threats in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An

Meteorological authorities reported that between 4 p.m. on July 21 and 10 a.m. on July 22, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An experienced moderate to heavy rainfall, with several locations receiving extreme rainfall, including: Xuan Khanh (229.2mm), Trieu Son (218.6mm), and Thach Quang (203.6mm) in Thanh Hoa; Chau Nga (161.2mm) and Tay Hieu (157.6mm) in Nghe An.

Soil moisture models show that parts of these provinces are nearing saturation (above 85%) or are fully saturated.

In the next 3 to 6 hours, rainfall accumulation is expected to range from 50-100mm, possibly exceeding 200mm in some locations.

From 10 a.m. on July 22, there is a high risk of flash floods along small rivers and streams, as well as landslides on slopes across several communes and wards in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

Bao Anh