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Vietnam, China lashed by tropical storm
Thousands of people in Vietnam sheltered from a powerful tropical storm that lashed its northern coast today after slamming into southeast China and killing 43 people in the Philippines.
Schools shut and flights were cancelled ahead of the storm, which weakened from a typhoon after devastating the Philippines’ main island of Luzon earlier in the week.
Beijing, which had issued its first red typhoon alert of the year, downgraded Nesat to a "strong tropical storm" which slowed at sea after forcing 300,000 people to evacuate on the tourist island of Hainan.
Gale force winds and torrential rain continued to lash China’s southern coast on Friday. High winds buffeted Hanoi and surrounding northeastern provinces, where Nesat made landfall in the afternoon at speeds of 62-88 kilometres an hour, the weather bureau said.
More than 70,000 residents in the port city of Haiphong and 7,000 others in coastal Nam Dinh province sheltered in more secure locations, State television reported.
“Some of the families moved to safer areas within their house compounds, or moved completely to other places. They have made good preparations and we are not worried about them,” Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said during an inspection of storm preparations in the city.
“So far, according to initial information from local authorities, there are no reports of victims,” said Pham Dinh Hoa, director of the flood and storm department in Quang Ninh province adjacent to China.
“The material losses are not significant. We have recorded 122 damaged houses and more than 400 trees down.”
About 39,000 fishing boats were ordered to shore and all schools in Haiphong and neighbouring Quang Ninh closed, the national flood and storm committee said.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced the cancellation of all flights from Haiphong, the country’s third-largest city.
Schools shut and flights were cancelled ahead of the storm, which weakened from a typhoon after devastating the Philippines’ main island of Luzon earlier in the week.
Beijing, which had issued its first red typhoon alert of the year, downgraded Nesat to a "strong tropical storm" which slowed at sea after forcing 300,000 people to evacuate on the tourist island of Hainan.
Gale force winds and torrential rain continued to lash China’s southern coast on Friday. High winds buffeted Hanoi and surrounding northeastern provinces, where Nesat made landfall in the afternoon at speeds of 62-88 kilometres an hour, the weather bureau said.
More than 70,000 residents in the port city of Haiphong and 7,000 others in coastal Nam Dinh province sheltered in more secure locations, State television reported.
“Some of the families moved to safer areas within their house compounds, or moved completely to other places. They have made good preparations and we are not worried about them,” Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said during an inspection of storm preparations in the city.
“So far, according to initial information from local authorities, there are no reports of victims,” said Pham Dinh Hoa, director of the flood and storm department in Quang Ninh province adjacent to China.
“The material losses are not significant. We have recorded 122 damaged houses and more than 400 trees down.”
About 39,000 fishing boats were ordered to shore and all schools in Haiphong and neighbouring Quang Ninh closed, the national flood and storm committee said.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced the cancellation of all flights from Haiphong, the country’s third-largest city.
