Currently, about 19,104 vessels with more than 73,000 fishermen operate off the coast of the provinces. Local authorities have managed to inform 37 vessels from Da Nang City, 43 from Quang Nam, 463 from Quang Ngai, over 8,096 from Binh Dinh, 117 from Phu Yen and nearly 1,900 from Khanh Hoa about the speed and direction of the storm and have asked them to promptly return to the mainland. Eight vessels are reported to be caught in the storm-affected area and one of them with a crew of 16 has been badly damaged.
Most fishing vessels from Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue are reported to be safe but more than 107 vessels with 871 fishermen on board have yet to be contacted.
Border soldiers and naval forces in Da Nang City let off flares in high-risk areas and 200 soldiers, 22 boats and canoes, seven rescue vessels and other vehicles were mobilised to support local people if necessary.
The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said that Typhoon Megi would move north-northwest at a speed of 10 kilometres per hour.
In the next 24 to 72 hours, the storm is expected to move to 19.9 degrees north latitude and 113.3 degrees east longitude, about 370km northwest of the Hoang Sa (Paracels) islands.
Strong waves between 12m and 14m high, gusty winds and seriously rough seas are forecast for the next few days.
Viet Nam Airlines has scheduled four additional flights on its HCM City-Vinh City route for passengers whose flights were cancelled on Monday.
Telecommunication companies, including VNPT Group's MobiFone and VinaFone have assured the continued operation of their networks to relevant authorities to help them manage the situation.
Director of Viettel Tao Duc Thang said his company had fixed around 200 submerged base transceiver stations in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces with two more left to repair before operations could resume.
Floods kill 45
The latest report from the National Committee for Flood Prevention and Control showed that the record flooding in the central region had killed 45 people, left two missing and injured three.
Eighteen passengers on a coach that was swept away on Monday from a section of National Highway 1A in Ha Tinh Province have been saved but 19 still remain missing.
Floods have submerged nearly 200,000 houses and 8,000ha of rice in the region.
Flash floods have continued to cause chaos in the central region as residents struggle with outbreaks of disease and increased costs for essential items.
The floods have blocked roads and destroyed hundreds of hectares of subsidiary crops in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, resulting in price increases of 200 to 500 per cent.
Vegetable seller Nguyen Thi Hoai in Vinh Market in Nghe An Province said the price hike was a result of the flood waters that had destroyed crops and disrupted supply routes into the area.
The Government yesterday said that it would spend VND70 billion (US$3.6 million) from the State budget to help flood victims in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri. The three flood-stricken provinces will also receive 3,000 tonnes of rice from the national reserve. The Ministry of Finance was yesterday ordered by the Prime Minister to extract VND20 billion (over $1 million) from this year's State budget backup fund to subsidise flood victims in Nghe An and Ha Tinh and help them restore farming and production.
Yesterday, Government officials donated VND175 million ($8,930) in aid for victims of heavy flooding in the central region.
Local authorities have been told to keep a close eye on the storm and to keep local fishermen informed of its movement, while stocking up on essential goods in the event they are needed. — VNS
No comments:
Post a Comment