Vietnam is likely to evacuate approximately 1.2 million people if typhoon Molave forecast to make landfall on October 28 sustains its speed, suggested the General Department of on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control. 

Molave slammed into the Philippines and entered the East Sea on October 26 morning, packing winds of 135kph near its centre.

The typhoon is moving west and north-west at speeds of 20-25kph and is likely to gain further strength when it churns close to the central coast of Vietnam.

The General Department of on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control has developed a plan to evacuate 1.2 million people in case Molave sustains its speed, said Tran Quang Hoai, director of the department, at an urgent meeting to deal with the typhoon on October 26.

Mass evacuations will be carried out in coastal, low-lying and flood-prone areas, as well as in tourist resorts to protect people’s lives before the typhoon makes landfall, Hoai said.

Fishing boats should be banned from setting sail, and those who fail to obey the rule will be duly dealt with according to the law, he suggested.

According to Hoai, relevant agencies had informed more than 59,000 fishing boats with 589,000 people on board about the position and track of the typhoon.   

Several coastal localities such as Quang Nam and Da Nang said they will have completed the evacuation of local residents before 15.00pm October 27, in addition to closing schools over two days, Oct. 27-28.

Molave is the ninth storm to hit the East Sea this year. It is as powerful as Damrey which hit Vietnam in 2017, leaving 123 people dead and missing.