The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control holds a meeting to take measures to cope with the storm Bolaven.

It is likely to impact the Central Highlands and southern regions of Vietnam.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, by 7am on January 3, tropical storm Bolaven was centred at about 10.6 degrees north latitude and 116.0 degrees east longitude, about 210km from Song Tu Tay island of Truong Sa archipelago, with winds of up to 60-75km per hour.

In the next 24 hours, the storm is forecast to move to the west-northwest at a speed of 25 km per hour.

By 7am on January 4, it is predicted to be at 11.1 degrees north latitude and 111.0 degrees east longitude, about 250km from the eastern coasts of the central provinces of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, with wind speeds between 60-75km per hour.

In the next 24 - 48 hours, the storm will keep moving to the west-northwest at a speed of 20km per hour and weaken into a tropical low pressure. Central Highlands and Southern localities have been directed to take measures to cope with the storm.

They have been asked to monitor the movements of the storm, thus warning owners of ships operating offshore, advising them to seek safe harbours. They were also required to check the safety of dyke systems and infrastructure works in coastal areas