Super Typhoon Dolphin Weakens, Still Expected to Cause Strong Winds in East Sea

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reports that as of the morning of August 1, Super Typhoon Dolphin was located over 3,800 km east of the Philippines' Luzon Island, moving west with maximum sustained winds of 201 km/h. This is the fourth super typhoon to form in the northwestern Pacific this year. Over the next 24 hours, the typhoon is expected to maintain its westward track at 20-25 km/h with little change in intensity. From August 3 onwards, it is forecast to head towards the Fujian-Zhejiang region of China, gradually weakening to categories 13-14, with gusts up to 16-17. Meteorological agencies predict that around August 5, as the super typhoon approaches northern Taiwan, its circulation will strongly draw in the southwest monsoon, intensifying winds in the southern South China Sea. By August 6-7, large areas of the northern, central, and southern South China Sea, including the waters around the Paracel and Spratly Islands, are likely to experience winds of force 6-7 and wave heights of 2-4 meters. This year has seen four super typhoons in the northwestern Pacific: Sinlaku, Bavi, Mekkhala, and Dolphin. The South China Sea has already experienced two typhoons, Maysak and Noul. Maysak, in early July, caused no casualties but damaged 96 houses, drifted or sank 13 vessels, and affected approximately 1,100 hectares of aquaculture, resulting in an estimated loss of VND 20 billion. Despite forecasts suggesting the number of typhoons and tropical depressions in the South China Sea this season may be near or below the average, individual storms could be powerful with complex trajectories. The risk of strong winds at sea, heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides across various regions remains a concern. Source: VnExpress