Fishermen told to take cover ahead of storm

HA NOI — Central coastal provinces from Quang Binh to Khanh Hoa have told fishermen to find safe shelters as powerful Typhoon Megi makes its way up Viet Nam's coast.

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

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Rescue continues as flood death toll rises

The entire 16-strong crew of a sunken fishing boat was rescued by Brunei marines off the Hoang Sa archipelago on Tuesday.

The Hoa Hai boat, captained by Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, was broken by typhoon Megi and lost contact with land.

The news was confirmed by Ly Son island authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai later in the day, who said Captain Sinh had telephoned his family about his and the crew members’ survival.

However, information on the whereabouts of the rescued fishermen has not yet been released.

The Hoa Hai boat was just one of eight fishing boats stranded in dangerous waters.

The provincial border guards command reported that so far about 411 fishing boats remained operating offshore, saying they have been resorting to all means to connect with and locate these fishing boats.

With typhoon Megi sweeping the central region since October 13, death tolls reached 36 on Tuesday.

Almost 200,000 homes have been inundated, over 8,000 ha of rice fields, 38,000 ha of crops and almost 40,000 tons of food in stores have been either flooded or swept away.

Domestic and international efforts have been increasing to alleviate the plight of typhoon victims.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent (IFRC) has released an urgent call to raise more than 1 million Swiss Francs (US$1.08 million) as relief aid to flood victims in central Vietnam.

Pascal Bourcher, IFRC Aid Program Director in Vietnam, has called for urgent aid to victims who have become homeless and hungry as well as lost their means of earnings such as crops and animal stocks.

In response, the Spanish Red Cross Association has joined an international independent evaluation mission, including Oxfam, Care and Paccom, to pay a fieldtrip to Ha Tinh, one of the worst-hit provinces.

The Vietnamese Red Cross has also sent a delegation to the devastated province of Quang Binh to survey the urgent needs of the victims.

The Vietnam Red Cross Association President, Tran Ngoc Tang, said the association has sent supplies to 12,000 victim families, which however fell far behind demand by people in flood areas.

“The Vietnamese people badly need international assistance,” urged the chief humanitarian activist.

The association on Monday sent the third batch of urgent aid worth over VND2.1 billion ($107,000) in cash and kind to typhoon Megi victims in the three central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh.

The aid included VND350 million in cash, 3,000 barrels of water-purifying pills, 50 tents and 3,600 barrels of daily necessities.

The Vietnamese communities in Laos and South Africa have also joined hands in the campaign.

The Vietnamese Laotians in Khammuon province have raised VND70 million for flood victims in the central region.

The Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Community Federation in Laos have also raised over VND170 million for their flood-hit patriots.

The Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa has donated 5,000 Rand ($700) for flood victims in Quang Binh province.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has signed decisions to aid disaster victims in the central region.

One of the decisions allowed the allocation of VND70 billion from the 2010 Central Hedge Fund and free supply of 3,000 tons of rice for flood victims in the three central provinces .

The Ministry of Finance has been assigned to allocate VND20 billion to buy seedlings, domestic animals and aquatic breeds to help recover production in flood areas.

In addition, the Prime Minister has entrusted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to supply free 2,800 tons of rice seedlings, 200 tons of maize seedlings and 110 tons of vegetable seedlings for 15 provinces hit by the recent natural disasters, including the three central provinces hit by typhoon Megi.

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Rescue continues as flood death toll rises

The entire 16-strong crew of a sunken fishing boat was rescued by Brunei marines off the Hoang Sa archipelago at 17h on October 19, reported the rescue force.

The Hoa Hai boat, captained by Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, was broken by typhoon Megi and lost contact with land.

The news was confirmed by Ly Son island authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai later in the day, who said Captain Sinh had telephoned his family about his and the crew members’ survival.

However, information on the whereabouts of the rescued fishermen has not yet been released.

The Hoa Hai boat was just one of eight fishing boats stranded in dangerous waters.

The provincial border guards command reported that so far about 411 fishing boats remained operating offshore, saying they have been resorting to all means to connect with and locate these fishing boats.

With typhoon Megi sweeping the central region since October 13, death tolls reached 36 on October 19.

Almost 200,000 homes have been inundated, over 8,000 ha of rice fields, 38,000 ha of crops and almost 40,000 tonnes of food in stores have been either flooded or swept away.

Domestic and international efforts have been increasing to alleviate the plight of typhoon victims.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent (IFRC) has released an urgent call to raise 1,034,754 Swiss Francs (roughly 1.08 million USD) as relief aid to flood victims in central Vietnam .

Pascal Bourcher, IFRC Aid Programme Director in Vietnam , has called for urgent aid to victims who have become homeless and hungry as well as lost their means of earnings such as crops and animal stocks.

In response, the Spanish Red Cross Association has joined an international independent evaluation mission, including Oxfam, Care and Paccom, to pay a fieldtrip to Ha Tinh, one of the worst-hit provinces.

The Vietnamese Red Cross has also sent a delegation to the devastated province of Quang Binh to survey the urgent needs of the victims.

The Vietnam Red Cross Association President, Tran Ngoc Tang, said the association has sent supplies to 12,000 victim families, which however fell far behind demand by people in flood areas.

“The Vietnamese people badly need international assistance,” urged the chief humanitarian activist.

The association on October 18 sent the third batch of urgent aid worth over 2.1 billion VND (roughly 107,000 USD) in cash and kind to typhoon Megi victims in the three central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh. The aid included 350 million VND in cash, 3,000 barrels of water-purifying pills, 50 tents and 3,600 barrels of daily necessities.

The Vietnamese communities in Laos and South Africa have also joined hands in the campaign.

The Vietnamese Laotians in Khammuon province have raised 70 million VND for flood victims in the central region.

The Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Community Federation in Laos have also raised over 170 million VND for their flood-hit patriots.

The Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa has donated 5,000 Rand (roughly 700 USD) for flood victims in Quang Binh province.

The Prime Minister has signed decisions to aid disaster victims in the central region.

One of the decisions allowed the allocation of 70 billion VND from the 2010 Central Hedge Fund and free supply of 3,000 tonnes of rice for flood victims in the three central provinces .

The Ministry of Finance has been assigned to allocate 20 billion VND to buy seedlings, domestic animals and aquatic breeds to help recover production in flood areas.

In addition, the Prime Minister has entrusted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to supply free 2,800 tonnes of rice seedlings, 200 tonnes of maize seedlings and 110 tonnes of vegetable seedlings for 15 provinces hit by the recent natural disasters, including the three central provinces hit by typhoon Megi./.

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Central floods wreak havoc; 34 dead

Rescuers are searching for the 19 passengers of the missing bus in Ha Tinh Province

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Prolonged heavy rains have caused floods in the country's central region, killing 34 people and leaving more than 20 missing, the National Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control reported Monday.

Fourteen victims died in Ha Tinh Province, 13 in Nghe An and seven in Quang Binh.

One person died and another two are missing after a whirlwind stuck in Thua Thien-Hue Province.

A bus carrying 37 passengers was swept away Monday morning from a section of National Highway 1A in Ha Tinh Province; 18 of the passengers were saved and the others are still missing.

Floods have submerged more than 152,000 houses in these provinces.

Chairman of Ha Tinh People's Committee Vo Kim Cu said this could be considered a historical flood season because local residents have had to cope with two large consecutive floods within the first 12 days of this month.

"The disaster has left thousands of people in the province penniless after their assets were swept away in the flood waters. They have nothing left to eat or drink," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on Monday urged localities to continue supporting people in flood-hit areas in an online meeting with authorities of provinces from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa.

He instructed the provinces to prepare to cope with Storm Megi which was expected to be a very strong and quick moving storm. He asked them to pay particular attention to evacuating residents from high-risk zones.

"Authorities need to instruct the owners of vessels operating offshore on how to enter storm-shelters safely and ban boats from dangerous areas," Hai said.

The National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Center issued a flood and landslide warning to residents in the central provinces.

Water in many rivers has risen to dangerous levels, including the Ca River in Nghe An Province and the Ngan Sau River in Ha Tinh Province.

Prolonged heavy rains in recent days caused a severe landslide in Thua Thien-Hue Province. Nearly 200m of the Pe Ke mountain pass in A Luoi District was covered with 20,000sq.m of land and soil, blocking traffic along a section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway.

A flood-triggered landslide is also threatening nearly 300 households with more than 1,000 residents along O Loan River in Phong Thu Commune. The depth of the landslide could reach 15-20m.

Center director Bui Minh Tang said total rainfall in some areas measured nearly 1,000mm in three days.

"Heavy rains are forecast to continue in these provinces, particularly Nghe An and Thanh Hoa," he said.

The Ministry of National Defense has assigned a helicopter from Gia Lam airport in Ha Noi to Vinh City in Nghe An Province and mobilized hundreds of canoes, boats and other vehicles to facilitate emergency aid in flood-hit provinces.

The ministries of health, and agriculture and rural development continue to provide medicine and lifejackets to help people cope with the floods.

The International Red Cross on Monday appealed for more than one million dollars in aid for victims of heavy flooding in Vietnam.

Typhoon Megi is forecast to cross into the East Sea Tuesday evening with wind gusts reaching 150-183 kph.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh yesterday sent a message of condolence to authorities and the families of victims in flood-hit provinces from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue.

He praised local authorities and relevant ministries and agencies for their efforts, and instructed them to continue mobilizing all available forces to protect the lives and assets of the people, to minimize the consequences and to prepare measures to cope with Typhoon Megi.

Urgent message

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also sent urgent messages to ministries, municipal and provincial People's Committees in flood stricken areas, the National Committee for Search and Rescue, the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Center and the press Monday.

He assigned each unit with a concrete mission and responsibility to cope with Typhoon Megi and overcome the aftermath of the flooding.

Dung asked local authorities to continue their search for the missing, treat the wounded, provide burial services for the dead, and provide food, water and necessities to flood victims while ensuring environmental hygiene and the prevention of epidemic diseases.

He also asked relevant units to evacuate people from vulnerable areas, and ensure the safety of fishermen working offshore and tourists. He also called for the protection of reservoirs and irrigation projects, oil and gas exploitation projects at sea and the safe operation of the electricity system.

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Thirty one die as floods wreak havoc

Le Thuy District's officials hand out aid to local residents. —VNA/VNS Photo Ho Cau   A part of the Ho Chi Minh Highway, which goes through Huong Khe District in Ha Tinh Province, is still deep under water. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuan

HA NOI — Prolonged heavy rains have caused floods in the country's central region, killing 31 people and leaving eight missing, reports the National Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control.

Thirteen victims died in Ha Tinh Province, 12 in Nghe An and five in Quang Binh.

One person died and another two are missing after a whirlwind stuck in Thua Thien-Hue Province.

A coach carrying 37 passengers was swept away yesterday morning from a section of National Highway 1A in Ha Tinh Province; 17 of the passengers were saved and the others are still missing.

Floods have submerged more than 152,000 houses in these provinces.

Chairman of Ha Tinh People's Committee Vo Kim Cu said this could be considered a historical flood season because local residents have had to cope with two large consecutive floods within the first 12 days of this month.

"The disaster has left thousands of people in the province penniless after their assets were swept away in the flood waters. They have nothing left to eat or drink," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday urged localities to continue supporting people in flood-hit areas in an online meeting with authorities of provinces from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa.

He instructed the provinces to prepare to cope with Storm Megi which was expected to be a very strong and quick moving storm. He asked them to pay particular attention to evacuating residents from high-risk zones.

"Authorities need to instruct the owners of vessels operating offshore on how to enter storm-shelters safely and ban boats from dangerous areas," Hai said.

The National Hydrometeorological Forecast Centre issued a flood and landslide warning to residents in the central provinces.

Water in many rivers has risen to dangerous levels, including the Ca River in Nghe An Province and the Ngan Sau River in Ha Tinh Province.

Prolonged heavy rains in recent days caused a severe landslide in Thua Thien-Hue Province. Nearly 200m of the Pe Ke mountain pass in A Luoi District was covered with 20,000sq.m of land and soil, blocking traffic along a section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway.

Donations for flood victims can be transferred to Viet Nam News via account numbers 001.1.37.2310047 for US dollars and 001.1.00.2310028 for Vietnamese dong at the Foreign Trade Bank of Viet Nam (Vietcombank). All the money collected will be transferred to the Viet Nam Fatherland Front for flood victims.

A flood-triggered landslide is also threatening nearly 300 households with more than 1,000 residents along O Loan River in Phong Thu Commune. The depth of the landslide could reach 15-20m.

Centre director Bui Minh Tang said total rainfall in some areas measured nearly 1,000mm in three days.

"Heavy rains are forecast to continue in these provinces, particularly Nghe An and Thanh Hoa," he said.

The Ministry of National Defence has assigned a helicopter from Gia Lam airport in Ha Noi to Vinh City in Nghe An Province and mobilised hundreds of canoes, boats and other vehicles to facilitate emergency aid in flood-hit provinces.

The ministries of health, and agriculture and rural development continue to provide medicine and lifejackets to help people cope with the floods.

The International Red Cross yesterday appealed for more than one million dollars in aid for victims of heavy flooding in Viet Nam.

Typhoon Megi is forecast to cross into the East Sea this eveningwith wind gusts reaching 150-183kph.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh yesterday sent a message of condolence to authorities and the families of victims in flood-hit provinces from Nghe An to Thua Thien-Hue.

He praised local authorities and relevant ministries and agencies for their efforts, and instructed them to continue mobilising all available forces to protect the lives and assets of the people, to minimise the consequences and to prepare measures to cope with Typhoon Megi.

Urgent message

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also sent urgent messages to ministries, municipal and provincial People's Committees in flood stricken areas, the National Committee for Search and Rescue, the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre and the press yesterday.

He assigned each unit with a concrete mission and responsibility to cope with Typhoon Megi and overcome the aftermath of the flooding.

Dung asked local authorities to continue their search for the missing, treat the wounded, provide burial services for the dead, and provide food, water and necessities to flood victims while ensuring environmental hygiene and the prevention of epidemic diseases.

He also asked relevant units to evacuate people from vulnerable areas, and ensure the safety of fishermen working offshore and tourists. He also called for the protection of reservoirs and irrigation projects, oil and gas exploitation projects at sea and the safe operation of the electricity system.

The Foreign Ministry has been assigned to send diplomatic notes to countries and territories in the region to inform Vietnamese fishermen and fishing vessels of the storm and to request safe shelter for those in need. — VNS

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Gov’t seeks more help for flood-hit region

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has called on all localities nationwide to continue lending a helping hand to the central region which is struggling against torrential rains and severe floods and is likely to be affected by typhoon Megi, currently off the East Sea.

The Government leader on Oct. 18 held an on-line meeting with authorities of coastal provinces from Quang Ninh in the north to Khanh Hoa in the central region, discussing ways and means to deal with flood consequences and counter the upcoming storm.

Hai noted that as typhoon Megi was moving fast in a complex direction with its landfall not yet identified, coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa needed to stay alert round the clock and deploy responsive measures appropriately.

He asked these coastal localities to promptly prepare detailed plans to evacuate local people, especially those living at the river mouth and in coastal areas, once Megi arrives.

According to the National Flood and Storm Prevention and Combating Steering Committee, by 19:00 on October 17, severe floods had killed 30 people and left one missing in central provinces . Ha Tinh province was hard hit with 13 dead.

Floods submerged 152,000 houses, stranded district and provincial transport networks, devastated dyke systems and inundated a vast area grown with rice and subsidiary crops.

Also on Oct. 8, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent an urgent message to ministries and branches at all levels, asking for continued efforts to overcome flood consequences in central region.

He asked People’s Committees of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh to look for missing people and deploy relief work while requesting coastal provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa being in preparedness to respond to typhoon Megi.

Earlier on Oct. 17, PM Dung asked the Finance Ministry to immediately provide 100 million VND each to Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces to surmount consequences of the previous floods.

He also requested that the National Reserves Department allocate an additional 1,000 tonnes of rice to each of the two provinces.

On Oct. 18, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh sent a message to express his sympathy to Party committees at all levels, authorities, local people and soldiers in central provinces .

In his message, the Party chief asked the Party committees and authorities of the flood-hit localities to concentrate all resources to protect local people and their property and minimize any losses they may suffer.

He urged these localities to quickly take measures to prevent damage and fight typhoon Megi when it hits the country, along with preparing plans to prevent diseases that may emerge after floods and help local people stabilize their lives.

In support, Vietnamese communities in Germany and Finland raised more than 5,000 EUR to assist flood-hit peers in the central region./.

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