Typhoon No. 15 is expected to bring significant rainfall to Vietnam’s South-Central Coast, particularly affecting the provinces of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, and Khanh Hoa. The storm's direction and intensity remain uncertain in the coming days. However, authorities warn that recent prolonged heavy rains have increased the risk of landslides, flash floods, mudslides, and flooding in low-lying areas.
Local Vietnamese officials have responded by banning all vessels from operating at sea, along coastal areas, and at river mouths. In preparation for the storm’s impact, water may be released from hydroelectric dams to maintain safe operational levels.
The U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City has communicated with local authorities who are prepared to assist residents and visitors in affected regions. "U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City has been in contact with local authorities who confirm that they ready to assist residents and visitors in affected areas," according to a statement from the consulate.
Emergency contacts for fire prevention, rescue police teams, disaster committees, and city rescue teams have been provided for each province—Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong—as well as national hotlines for emergency response and disaster management.
Residents are advised to avoid travel into affected zones and not attempt to walk or drive through flooded areas. If caught by flood conditions, individuals should shelter in place on higher ground if possible and notify authorities of their location rather than entering floodwaters or abandoning secure positions. They are also encouraged to conserve phone battery power for communication with rescuers.
People should monitor updates from local media outlets as well as official weather forecasts since changes in the storm path could result in additional risks due to already saturated ground conditions. The U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html) and Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (https://www.nchmf.gov.vn/kttv/) provide ongoing tracking information about storms impacting the region.
Those needing assistance can contact U.S. Embassy Hanoi at +84-24-3850-5000 or U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City at +84-28-3520-4200; further resources are available via https://vn.usembassy.gov/. Travelers can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (https://step.state.gov/step/) for security alerts related to travel or disasters.
Updated messages will be issued through official embassy channels including https://vn.usembassy.gov/, travel.state.gov as well as social media accounts @travelgov on Facebook and X.