On the morning of July 21, the tropical depression in the East Sea strengthened into a typhoon, named Prapiroon internationally, with maximum wind speeds of 74 km/h. It is expected to enter the Gulf of Tonkin tomorrow.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that at 7:00 AM, the typhoon was over the Paracel Islands, moving west-northwest at a speed of 10-15 km/h. By 7:00 AM tomorrow, the typhoon will be over Hainan Island, China, maintaining wind speeds of 74 km/h and moving at 10-15 km/h but shifting towards the northwest.

By 7:00 AM on July 23, the typhoon is projected to enter the Gulf of Tonkin, weakening to a Category 6-7 storm, and heading towards Guangxi Province, China.

Meteorological stations in Japan and Hong Kong have indicated that the tropical cyclone is currently a tropical depression but is expected to strengthen into a typhoon in the coming hours. The U.S. Navy’s meteorological office has reported wind speeds of 74 km/h, peaking at 83 km/h upon reaching Hainan Island.

Due to the impact of the typhoon, the western regions of the northern and central East Sea, including the Hoang Sa Islands, and the eastern coastal areas from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, will experience strong winds of Category 6-7, with sea waves ranging from 2-4 meters. Areas near the storm’s center could see winds of Category 8, with sea waves reaching heights of 4-5 meters.

In a directive issued on July 19, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development urged coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Binh Thuan to closely monitor the storm’s progress, record and inform vessels of the tropical depression’s path to proactively implement safety measures.

Prapiroon is the second typhoon to form in the East Sea this year. Meteorologists predict that typhoons will arrive later this year, intensifying between September and November. It is forecasted that there will be 11-13 typhoons and tropical depressions in the East Sea, with 5-7 directly impacting mainland Vietnam.