Storm Haima wreaks havoc in North Vietnam

Storm Haima wreaks havoc in North Vietnam

Contrary to previous predictions, tropical storm Haima landed in Thai Binh province yesterday evening. At least 10 people were killed, 14 were missing and hundreds of others were injured in some northern provinces, Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Central Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Center, said.

Previously, the storm was expected to make landfall in the Vietnam-China border area, he said.

In the past few days, the storm has caused heavy rains in many Northern Vietnam provinces, with rainfalls measuring 50 mm to over 150 mm. In the central area of Hanoi, the rainfall reached 120 mm.

The coastal areas of Quang Ninh-Thai Binh province are experiencing winds of force 7-8.

After landing in Thai Binh with force of 6-7, the storm has weakened to a depression and continued moving west. It will fade away when it reaches Northern Laos this evening, he added.

The heavy rains are expected to continue in the next few days, Hai said.

So far the coastal city of Hai Phong suffered the most from the storm, with 6 people dead, including four by lightning, in four districts Thuy Nguyen, An Duong, Tien Lang and An Lao.

More than 200 were injured, 89 seriously in Thuy Nguyen District.

Thunderstorms pulled down 16 houses and blew off the roofs of 1,021 others and 12 classrooms. It also knocked down 15 electric poles and destroyed many other public utilities.

The city authorities gave VND10 million to each family of the dead and VND1-3 million to each injured person. They also offered VND10 million to each family whose house collapsed and VND5 million to each family that had their house roof blown off.

In Ha Giang province, a landslide in Vi Xuyen district killed 1 mining worker while he was seeking shelter in a rainstorm.

Meanwhile, downpours in Mu Can Chai district, Yen Bai province, caused flooding in Sua Long stream that swept away four men. One body was found.

In Nghe An province, at least 6 fishing boasts have sunk in the rough seas. All the crew members have been rescued except one who remains missing.

On Thursday Nguyen Thi Thuong, 9, Nguyen Thi Hue, 6, and Nguyen Ba Hiep, 4, were drowned after they were washed away by fierce waves on the Cam River in the province’s Nghi Loc District. Rescuers have found the bodies of the four children.

The same day in Thanh Hoa province, a lightning strike killed a 45-year-old woman while she was harvesting rice on a field in Duc Loc district.

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