A powerful storm named Kajiki has gathered strength in the South China Sea. What started as a tropical storm is now a full-blown typhoon. Forecasters expect it to slam into Vietnam this coming Monday. Its path will then take it towards northern Thailand. It should lose some power by then.
The northern and central parts of Vietnam are bracing for a tough time. Kajiki will bring strong winds and huge waves to coastal areas. Heavy, even very heavy, rains are also in the forecast. These conditions could easily lead to widespread floods and dangerous landslides.
Latest reports from Saturday afternoon placed the typhoon’s center about 230 kilometers northeast of the Paracel Islands. Winds were clocked at a maximum of 102 kilometers per hour. Kajiki is moving northwest at a steady 25 kilometers per hour. It is expected to grow even stronger as it passes south of China’s Hainan Island. Landfall is predicted for Monday, between Vietnam’s Thanh Hóa and Quảng Trị provinces.
Vietnamese authorities have already raised the disaster alert level. This warning covers all coastal and inland areas from Thanh Hóa up to northern Quảng Trị. Weather experts point to Hà Tĩnh and northern Quảng Trị as particularly vulnerable spots. Residents should prepare for heavy downpours starting Sunday night and lasting through Tuesday. Some areas, like the northern river delta, southern Phú Thọ, and the region between Thanh Hóa and Huế, could see 100-150 millimeters of rain, possibly even 250 millimeters. Regions from Thanh Hóa to northern Quảng Trị might get 200-400 millimeters, with extreme cases hitting over 700 millimeters. Even major cities like Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City could experience rain.
Officials are urging people to reinforce their homes and be ready to evacuate if needed. They also strictly advise everyone to stay off the sea. Kajiki is the fifth typhoon to form in the South China Sea this year. The last one, Typhoon Wipha in July, caused two deaths and injured five people in northern Vietnam. This shows how serious these storms can be.
China is also on high alert. Both Hainan and Guangdong provinces have issued warnings for the approaching typhoon. They expect strong winds and heavy rainfall. Hainan’s flood control committee raised its emergency response to Level 2 on Saturday evening. This was a direct response to the powerful winds and heavy rains predicted for its sea areas and islands.
After Vietnam and China, Kajiki’s remnants will reach Thailand. The Thai Meteorological Department, or TMD, tracks it as the 13th tropical cyclone in the northwestern Pacific this year. They predict it will weaken into a tropical depression by the time it reaches Nan province this coming Tuesday. Even in its weaker state, Nan province could still receive a significant 200 millimeters of rain. The TMD warns that heavy rains from Kajiki will affect both northern and northeastern Thailand on Monday and Tuesday. These conditions could lead to flash floods in low-lying areas.