CAAV asks for suspension of aircraft arrivals, departures at airports due to storm Talim

CAAV asks for suspension of aircraft arrivals, departures at airports due to storm Talim, Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) Dinh Viet Thang said on July 17 that he has sent a dispatch to relevant units in the aviation industry to continue with proactive measures in response to storm Talim, the first to hit Vietnam this year.

Accordingly, the CAAV asked the Northern Airports Authority (NAA) to suspend aircraft arrivals and departures at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi from 11:00 to 20:00 on July 18, at Van Don international airport in Quang Ninh province from 9:00 to 19:00 on July 18, and at Cat Bi international airport in Hai Phong city from 9:00 to 19:00 on July 18.

The NAA was required to regularly update the movement of the storm from the Aviation Meteorological Centre to proactively adjust the opening and closing times of airports in the affected areas in line with regulations.

The CAAV urged airlines to proactively adjust their flight schedules whenever possible, either bringing forward or postponing flights in consideration of adverse weather conditions.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the storm is considered one of the most powerful in recent years.

As storm Talim is coming near, airlines have rescheduled their flights to and from airports in the affected areas.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines rescheduled its flights to and from the northern port city of Hai Phong for July 18, while Vietjet announced adjustments to its several flights to and from airports in the affected areas on July 17.

As of 4pm on July 17, the storm was about 400 km east-southeast of Mong Cai, the northern province of Quang Ninh with a wind speed of 118-133km per hour.

The storm will not directly impact Hanoi which will only experience distant thunderstorms and occasional heavy rainfalls.

About 30,000 to be evacuated due to Storm Talim Northern coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh have planned to evacuate about 30,000 people due to Talim, the first storm to hit Vietnam this year, which is to make a landfall on July 18.