At 1 p.m. yesterday, the storm was about 670 kilometres southeast of Hoang Sa Islands (also known as Paracel) with wind gusts of 75-88 kilometres per hour.
The centre forecast the storm would grow stronger in the next 24-48 hours.
By 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, it will be around 180 kilometres east of the coastline of Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces with wind speeds in the eye of the storm expected to be as high as 102 kilometres per hour.
The centre's director Bui Minh Tang said at an urgent meeting yesterday that Gaemi, the seventh of the year to hit the East Sea, was progressing in a complicated path.
The Central Highlands and some areas to the south will be hit by heavy rains and local residents should be vigilant for resulting dangers, with landslides expected in mountainous areas and flooding likely to occur in low-lying areas.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat asked vulnerable provinces to monitor the storm's direction and watch over the operation of boats at sea.
He also ordered localities to have their boats anchored safely and work out plans of evacuation if possible.
Yesterday, the central Steering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention banned boats from going out to sea in the central province of Quang Ngai.
The Ministry of National Defence appointed more than 31,000 soldiers to be ready for rescuing work in the storm.
By 3 p.m. yesterday, the central Steering Board guided more than 48,000 boats and over 238,000 fishermen to safety.
Central provinces' authorities have also assigned officers to the scene to help locals deal with the storm.
The Quang Binh Border Guards assigned 100 servicemen and 10 canoes to be ready in case of breakdown.
The Quang Nam Province evacuated residents living in coastal areas.
According to Viet Nam News reporter based in central Da Nang City, nearly 2,000 fishing vessels with 8,900 fishermen have docked safely.
"We had informed all vessels on the sea and they were on the way home. The farthest vessel, which fished southwest of Hoang Sa Islands, received alarming snals on Monday and was speeding home," said Van Cong Luong, head of the city's Flood and Storm Prevention office.
The centre has prepared an evacuation plan for five at-risk households in Hoa Vang district's Hoa Bac and Hoa Phu communes in case a flood occurs after the storm.-Asia News Network (October 05, 2012)
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