Typhoon Maysak weakens into tropical depression over China

Typhoon Maysak weakened into a tropical depression at midday Sunday after moving inland over southern Guangxi Province in China.

As of 1 p.m., the center of the tropical depression was located over Guangxi Province, according to Vietnam's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 61 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching 88 kph, and was moving north-northeast at around 10 kph.

Forecasters said the system would continue tracking northeast over the next 12 hours while gradually weakening into a low-pressure area before dissipating. It is no longer expected to have any direct impact on Vietnam.

A seawall and retaining wall in the Mui Ngoc area, Quang Ninh were toppled by strong waves and typhoon-force winds. Photo by VnExpress/Vu Khuyen

Maysak was the first storm to form over the East Sea this year. It developed from a tropical depression over waters northwest of the Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) Special Zone and strengthened into a typhoon in the early hours of Friday, with sustained winds of 62-88 kph and gusts up to 117 kph.

It then moved slowly west-northwest before turning northwest, entering the northern Gulf of Tonkin under favorable environmental conditions. However, it did not intensify further, maintaining peak strength.

Beginning early in the afternoon of Saturday, the storm's circulation started directly affecting northeastern Vietnam, bringing strong winds to coastal areas of Quang Ninh Province, home to world famous Ha Long Bay.

At around 7 p.m., the storm's center approached the Quang Ninh coastline and remained nearly stationary there for more than two hours before making landfall near Mong Cai at approximately 10 p.m. the same day. By around 2 a.m. on Sunday, the storm's center had crossed into southern Guangxi Province and continued moving north-northeast.

As the storm neared the coast, Maysak generated sustained winds of 88 kph with gusts up to 117 kph at Bach Long Vi Island. Mong Cai recorded 88 kph winds with gusts reaching up to 133 kph, while Co To Island experienced 74 kph winds with gusts up to 102 kph and waves as high as 2.25 meters.

Cua Ong and Quang Ha beaches both recorded 74 kph winds with gusts up to 88 kph. The storm also brought torrential rainfall to Quang Ninh and northeastern Vietnam, with Mong Cai receiving nearly 250 mm of rain in less than 24 hours.

By midday on Sunday, after moving farther inland into Guangxi Province, the storm had weakened into a tropical depression. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said Maysak was not an especially intense storm but moved slowly, prolonging its impact.

Its lingering for several hours over coastal waters off Quang Ninh before landfall allowed strong winds and heavy rain to persist across northeastern Vietnam.

According to a preliminary report from Quang Ninh authorities, as of 6 a.m. Sunday, the storm had torn roofs off 30 houses, damaged about 600 hectares of aquaculture farms, toppled 850 trees, and caused damage to numerous public works and vehicles.

During the storm, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and local authorities issued a series of emergency directives, imposed maritime travel bans, instructed vessels to seek shelter, inspected high-risk areas, prepared for possible evacuations, and implemented measures to ensure the safety of dikes.

Vietnam's 2026 rainy and typhoon season is forecast to see fewer storms and tropical depressions forming over the East Sea and making direct landfall in the country than the long-term average and fewer than in 2025.

However, meteorological authorities warned that storm activity remains highly unpredictable due to the effects of climate change, with storm tracks and intensity capable of changing rapidly, particularly during the latter part of the season.