Hanoi (VNA) - Tropical storm Sanba formed on lateFebruary 11 is expected to reach the Philippines on February 13 and enter theEast Sea during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holidays.

Accordingto the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 7am on February12, the centre of the storm was some 650km east of the Philippines’ southerncoast, with wind speeds of up to 75kmph.

Over the next 24 hours, thestorm will continue to strengthen and move west at a speed of some 25kmph.

It is predicted to reachthe Philippines’ southern coast on February 13 morning, with wind speeds of upto 75kmph. On February 14 morning, it is likely to be 270km from the east ofthe Philippines’ Palawan Island and will keep moving westward.

On February 15 morning, theeye of the storm will be some 450km to the east of Truong Sa Island, with windspeeds of 60-75kmph, sometimes up to over 100kmph.

Given thecurrent forecast, Sanba is set to become the second storm to hit Vietnamesewaters this year. It could pose threats to southeast Vietnam during Tet holidays,the main festival in the country, which fall this week.

The first storm in 2018 -Bolaven, formed on January 3 - was predicted to hit southern Vietnam butweakened offshore shortly after entering the East Sea. Last year, 16 tropicalstorms hit the country.

The National Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting has predicted a warm Tet forthe northern provinces as the cold spell weakens from February 13.

In Hanoi, the temperatureon February 16 - the first day of the Lunar New Year - is expected to reach 23degree Celsius, with a cloudy yet warm weather. For the first four days of thenew year, it will be warm in Hanoi, with a maximum temperature of 26 degreeCelsius and minimum temperature of 15 degree Celsius. However, February 20, thefifth day of the new year, will be colder.

In HCM City and othersouthern provinces, it will be cooler during Tet, with atemperature of some 30 degree Celsius.  

In central Da Nang city,the weather in the first four days of the new year will be pleasant, with atemperature of some 25-28 degree Celsius. Rain is predicted on the fifth dayand the temperature will drop to 20-23 degree Celsius.

According to the CentralSteering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, since thebeginning of this year, cold spells in the northern and north central provinceshave killed some 4,720 cattle and poultry. The latest cold spell, which startedon January 27 and is expected to end on February 13, has killed over 2,100cattle and poultry.-VNA