HANOI: Vietnam announced plans to evacuate more than half a million people and ordered boats to stay ashore, while the southern Chinese city of Sanya closed businesses and public transport on Sunday (Aug 24) as both braced for an intensifying Typhoon Kajiki.
The storm is forecast to “brush past” the southern coast of China’s island province of Hainan from Sunday evening before heading for Vietnam, China’s National Meteorological Center said.
As of 9am GMT (5pm, Singapore time), the storm had gained strength, with winds reaching 166kmh, according to Vietnam’s national weather forecast agency.
It is likely to strengthen further with wind speeds as high as 180kmh, China’s weather forecaster said.
Authorities in Vietnam plan to evacuate more than 586,000 people from the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue and Danang, where the typhoon is forecast to make landfall early on Monday, state media reported.
People in the projected path should not go outdoors after 2pm GMT (10pm, Singapore time) on Sunday, and soldiers are standing by to help, the government said.
Seven coastal provinces in Vietnam banned boats from leaving shore early on Sunday, Tien Phong newspaper reported.
Vietnam Airlines cancelled at least 22 flights to and from central cities on Sunday and Monday. Vietjet Aviation said it was cancelling or delaying flights but did not provide details.
China’s Sanya, renowned for seafront resorts and sandy beaches, closed tourist attractions, shuttered businesses and suspended public transport.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/vietnam-evacuation-china-sanya-hainan-typhoon-kajiki-extreme-weather-5311156
