Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has askedauthorities in the central and southern regions to evacuate locals tosafe grounds and ban vessels from going to sea on December 11, astyphoon Hagupit is likely to land in the southern central area on thenight of the same day.

The fifth tropical storm in the East Seathis year is changing course to southwest, the National Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting said, predicting that after makinglandfall on the south central region, from Binh Thuan to Khanh Hoa,Hagupit will weaken into a tropical low pressure area in the mainland.

At an emergency meeting with the Central Committee for Floodand Storm Control on December 10, Phat, who is also its head, emphasisedthat many fishing boats are still at sea and urged relevant agencies topromptly notify fishermen about the storm’s course and immediately seekshelter.

Localities should alert tourists, especially thoseat beaches and on islands, to the upcoming storm and evacuate them tosafety, he said.

He also requested Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuanprovinces, which are most likely to be hit by the storm, to moveresidents, particularly the elderly and children, to safe areas by noonDecember 11 at the latest.

The committee informed that theNavy will put 10 ships on standby for search and rescue missions inareas around Truong Sa archipelago and DK1 platform.

Accordingto the Sai Gon Giai phong newspaper, Vienam Airlines will stop itsflights from Hanoi to Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa andadjust the schedule for services between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trangand Da Lat in the Central Highland.

Hagupit swept across the Philippines on December 6 evening, claiming at least 27 lives.-VNA