Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chairs the  National Civil Defense Steering Committee on measures to cope with typhoon Matmo, Hanoi, October 3, 2025.

The warning was issued at a meeting on Friday chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, with the participation of ministries, agencies, and 12 provinces and cities.

Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said Matmo entered the East Sea on Friday night with wind speeds of up to 166 km/h and is expected to strengthen further while moving northwest.

By Saturday afternoon, winds over the sea could reach 200 km/h. After passing China’s Leizhou and Hainan islands, the storm is forecast to head into the Gulf of Tonkin, he said.

“The most likely scenario is that the storm will enter the Gulf of Tonkin on a path similar to storm Ragasa. By Saturday night, most of the storm’s circulation will still be over the sea, so it is unlikely to weaken. As it approaches the coast of northeastern Vietnam, including Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, wind speeds could reach level 8–9, with gusts up to level 11–12,” said Mr. Khiem.

Deputy Prime Minister Ha stressed that overlapping disasters are creating complex challenges. He urged localities to accelerate recovery efforts after typhoon Bualoi while closely monitoring Matmo’s developments.

Relevant agencies were asked to ensure all vessels at sea receive storm warnings and take shelter. He also instructed local authorities to review and reinforce vulnerable river and sea dikes before landfall, with top priority given to safeguarding human lives.