Gloom returns to southern, central regions as depression edges toward Vietnam   A tropical depression is forecast to evolve into a storm by 7:00 pm on September 12, 2016. Nat’l Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting The weather conditions in southern and central Vietnam are about to worsen this week with prolonged rain squalls and lashing winds forecast. A depression that formed on Sunday in the southern area of the East Vietnam Sea is looking likely to evolve into a storm, closing in on the central region, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF). At 8:00 am on Monday, the depression was about 300 km away from coastal areas between Quang Nam and Phu Yen Provinces, with high winds at between 50 and 60 kph. Moving west-northwestward at 15-20 kph, it is forecast to strengthen to a storm on seawater between Quang Nam and Binh Dinh Provinces on Monday evening, the weather center predicted. At 7:00 pm, winds are expected to reach between 9 and 10 on the Beaufort scale. Under the influence of this weather episode, rough seas are anticipated in maritime areas between Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands. Severe downpours and lashing squalls are also expected in many towns and cities in the central and southern regions during the first half of the week, the NCHMF forecast. The Control and National Committee for Search and Rescue and the Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control have urged local authorities to enact preventive measures and provide updated information, as well as offering immediate support to locals encountering trouble. On Sunday, a prolonged rain forced flights to and from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to be canceled or rescheduled. An airport spokesperson said that 22 flights had their departure times adjusted due to the rain. TUOI TRE NEWS