ReliefWeb

SITUATION

• Tropical Cyclone SONCA is moving west-northwest over the South China Sea, toward central-northern Vietnam, as a Tropical Storm. On 24 July at 6.00 (UTC) its center was located 200 km south-east of Sanya city (Hainan, China) and it had maximum sustained winds of approx. 74 km/h.

• Over the next 24 h, it is forecast to continue moving northnorthwest remaining a Tropical Storm and it may pass south of Hainan island on 24 July afternoon-evening (UTC) as a Tropical Storm. Then it may reach North Central Coast region on 25 July morning-afternoon (UTC) as a Tropical Storm. Heavy rain may affect Hainan (China), northern and central Vietnam, Lao PDR and northeastern Thailand.

• The same area has been recently affected by Tropical Cyclone TALAS over 14-17 July which caused 14 deaths in North Central Coast Region and 2 700 houses damaged in Nghe An province (North Central Coast Region, Vietnam).

Sources: GDACS, JTWC, CMA, NCHMF, Local media