The number of storms and tropical low pressures the East Sea this year to drop to nine or ten, lower than the annual average, according to Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecast. The center is also forecasting the number of storms making landfall will decrease to four or five, lower than the previous year. Meteorologists, however, cautioned that storms and tropical low pressures are difficult to predict with any pinpoint accuracy and all storms are potentially dangerous and come with complications. In late January and early February of this year, a tropical storm named Kajiki appeared east of the Philippines and weakened to tropical depression as it entered the East Sea. This was the first tropical depression disturbance this year. The center added that hot weather is likely to occur earlier than usual this year, especially in the northwestern, north central and southern regions. The number of heat waves is expected to hit Vietnam’s northern region from May to July and the central region from May to August. From the end of last year to March 10, in the central coastal provinces, the Central Highlands and the southern provinces, the common rainfall reduced by 50%-90% compared to the average of many years ago. Due to less rain in the first months of the dry season, the flows on river in the Central Region and the Central Highlands are low. The center said that water shortages and droughts in the Central Region may be improved at the end of August, while in the Central Highlands and southern region, this may end in late May and early June. (VnExpress Mar 16)
