Typhoon Melor Enters East Sea, Vietnam Keeps Close Watch on

Tropical storm Melor has entered the Vietnamese East Sea to become the fifth storm hitting the country so far this year after traversing through the Philippines, according to National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. The center has asked all coastal localities and relating ministries to make thorough preparations for the typhoon, which was about 680km east-northeast of Song Tu Tay island of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago at 8.00 am. The strongest wind speed at the eye of the storm is estimated at around 133 kilometers per hour (kph) with gusts up to 183kph. The typhoon is predicted to head west and possibly southwest at an average speed of five to ten kilometers every hour within the next 24 hours, the center said. Authorities and state officials are asked to update the storm to evacuate ships at sea and people if necessary. According to the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, typhoon Melor that swept through the central Philippines on December 15 killed at least three and leaving millions without power. The tropical storm uprooted trees and cut off electricity supply in at least seven central provinces. (Tuoi Tre - Youth Dec 16, Tin Tuc – News Dec 16 p2, An Ninh Thu Do – Capital Security Dec 16 p2)