The warning followed the national office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) issuing its own notice for people in risk areas to beware heavy weather over the next few days as the Category 5 Typhoon Molave in the South Cina Sea moves towards the Vietnam coast.
In its warning the TMD explained that at 4am today Category 5 Typhoon Molave was centred 120 kilometres east of Binh Dinh city with maximum sustained winds of about 155km/h. The storm is moving west-northwest at 30km/h and is expected to make landfall over middle Vietnam this morning (28 October), then downgrade to a Category 3 (Tropical Storm) before entering Thailand.
“At the same time the westerly wind across the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf will strengthen bringing about isolated heavy rain to very heavy rain with strong wind in upper Thailand, especially in the lower Northeast from 28-29 October 2020,” the warning noted.
Affected areas of heavy rain to very heavy rain are as followings:
The whole Northeast is expected to be affected by the fallout, with heavy rains forecast for Loei, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Mukdahan, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Amnat Charoen, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani.
The Eastern provinces of Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat are also to be affected.
In the South, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Ranong, Phan Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun are all forecast to experience heavy rains.
“The wind and waves over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf will strengthen with 2-3 meters high of the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf, about 2 meters in the lower Gulf and above 3 meters in thundershowers,” the TMD warned.
“All ships should proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers while small boats keep ashore,” it added.