Tropical depression grows into Storm Kajiki, set to hit central Vietnam

A tropical depression intensified into Storm Kajiki after entering Vietnam’s waters on Saturday morning and is forecast to make landfall in the central region from Thanh Hoa to Hue by Monday noon.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 7 a.m. Saturday, the storm was about 480 km east-northeast of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 74 kph, moving west-northwest at 25 kph.

By 7 a.m. Sunday, Kajiki is expected to strengthen to 89–117 kph, gusting 135–155 kph, while maintaining its track over the northwestern waters of the Hoang Sa Islands. By 7 a.m. Monday, it could reach 103–133 kph, gusting 166–180 kph, before making landfall from Thanh Hoa to Hue. The system is then forecast to move inland and weaken into a tropical depression over central Laos.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the storm is likely to intensify further, potentially reaching 126 kph near the Nghe An–Hue coast. The Hong Kong Observatory forecasts a peak of 130 kph, with the center passing through Nghe An Province.

From Sunday afternoon, seas from Thanh Hoa to Hue will see winds rising from 39–61 kph to 89–102 kph, with areas near the storm center reaching 118–133 kph, gusting up to 166–180 kph. Waves will be 4–6 m high, surging to 6–8 m near the storm’s center.

Onshore in Thanh Hoa–Quang Tri, winds are expected to reach 62–88 kph Sunday night, increasing to 89–133 kph near the storm center, with gusts up to 155 kph. The northern Gulf of Tonkin, including Bach Long Vi, will see winds of 39–50 kph, gusting up to 89 kph, and waves of 2–3 m.

Meteorologists warn that sea and coastal areas in the storm’s path are extremely dangerous for vessels, aquaculture facilities, and coastal infrastructure, with high risks of capsizing, flooding, and destruction.

From Sunday through Tuesday, the Red River Delta, including Hanoi, and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Hue are expected to receive 100–150 mm of rain, locally over 250 mm. Thanh Hoa–Quang Tri may see 150–300 mm, with some areas exceeding 600 mm. Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City will also experience rain and thunderstorms early next week.

This is the fifth storm to form in the East Sea this year. The most recent, Wipha, struck northern Vietnam last month, bringing heavy rains that killed two people, injured five, damaged 687 homes, and inundated over 119,000 ha of rice fields. Mountainous households in Nghe An were forced to evacuate overnight as floodwaters rose more than a meter.

By Gia Chinh – VnExpress.net – August 22, 2025