Northern region experiences torrential rains from Thursday

Heavy rains at 100-200 mm and even 250 mm have poured onto Vietnam's northern region from Thursday due to the impacts of storm Ma-on, the third entering the East Sea so far this year.

Torrential rains are forecast to last for more than one day and peak on Thursday night, causing a high risk of flash floods, landslides and flooding in low areas and northern mountainous provinces, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

At sea, the northern part of the East Sea has seen strong winds of up to level 9 and even level 11 in the area near the storm eye, causing high waves.

In the northern area of the Gulf of Tonkin, including Bach Long Vy and Co To island districts of the northeastern province of Quang Ninh, the storm has also caused high waves.

As of early Thursday morning, the storm was about 290 km east from Leizhou peninsula of China, boasting winds at level 11 (103-117km per hour).

According to Tran Quang Nang, an expert from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, after making a landfall in China's southern localities and heading to the northeastern region of Vietnam, the storm would weaken into a low pressure while reaching Quang Ninh province and become a low pressure area in the next 24 hours.