Tropical storm Bebinca, which formed on Friday in the East Sea, is heading northwest toward the sea area between Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City and will bring widespread rains to northern Vietnam, the Vietnam National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center reported.

With maximum winds of 88 kph and gusts of 102-117 kph, the storm was centered at 19.5 degrees north and 112.3 degrees east, about 590 km east-southeast of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong at 4 am Saturday.

The storm is moving west-northwest at 10-15 kph and at 4 am Sunday, it will be located in the Gulf of Tonkin, about 180 km east-southeast of Quang Ninh-Hai Phong, packing winds of up to 74 kph and gusts of 102 kph.

In the next 24 hours, the storm will continue moving west-northwest at 15 kph and likely weaken into a depression before landing in northeastern Vietnam.

At 4 am June 24 the depression will be centered in northern mountainous provinces with winds of less than 39 kph.

Affected by the storm, the north region of the East Sea, including the Gulf of Tonkin, will be rough and face maximum winds of 87 kph and gusts of up to 117 kph.

Many northern and north central provinces will have medium and heavy rains tonight, with rainfalls likely amounting to 200-300 mm.

The storm, which is combining with strong seasonal southwest winds, will also cause rough seas in the sea of Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, the middle and southern area of the East Sea including the Truong Sa (Spartly ) archipelago, and the sea area between southern Binh Thuan and Ca Mau provinces.

These areas will face winds of 39-45 kph and gusts of up to 62 kph. Thunderstorms together with whirlwinds will also impact the areas.

Yesterday the Central Steering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control issued an urgent message asking all northern coastal provinces to take necessary measures to cope with the storm.

(TTO)