Typhoon Rai weakens into tropical depression, unable to affect Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) - Typhoon Rai, the ninth storm to hit the East Sea this year, rapidly weakened into a tropical depression on December 20 evening and no longer threatened Vietnam’s waters and mainland.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, at 10pm on December 20, the centre of the tropical depression was about 180 km east of China’s Hainan Island with winds of 40-50km per hour.

On December 21 morning, it is forecast to move northeast at a speed of 20km per hour and then will weaken into a low pressure zone.

However, ships operating in the East Sea are still warned of strong winds as an impact of the depression./.