Central regions threatened by further flooding Tháng Mười Một 6, 2007
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Provincial officials and rescue teams examine the flood damage in Quang Thanh Commune, Quang Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province. —
HA NOI — Central and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) provinces would suffer heavy rains and possible flooding in rivers due to a low pressure system off the central and southern coasts and a storm named Peipah in the Philippines sea, said the Central Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre.
Rainfall in the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, and the Tay Nguyen region would be between 70mm and 120mm, reaching 150mm in some places, and could cause rivers to rise to dangerous levels, the bureau warned.
Rivers in Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen were expected to exceed the third alarm level.
As of Saturday afternoon, the low pressure system was 250km south-east off the coast of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.
At 1pm yesterday, storm Peipah’s centre was at 16.9 degrees north and 123.8 degrees east, 200km east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island. Its wind gusts were measured at 89-117kph.
The storm was expected to move westerly and south-westerly in the next 24 hours and grow stronger. Peipah would cause strong winds and rough seas in Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf, the forecasters said.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister released an official message asking local governments and the relevant ministries to prepare to rebuild the flood-damaged regions in central and Tay Nguyen provinces.
Local governments were told to use their budgets to help people rebuild their lives and restart production.
The industry and commerce; construction; labour, invalids and social affairs and health ministries have been told to prepare a reconstruction taskforce and medicine for the affected areas.
The coastal provinces must try their best to control the number of fishing vessels at sea.
Coastal province officials have also been assigned the task of teaching local fisherman how to properly store their boats to minimise damage in future storms.
Also yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai met with the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control to discuss measures to cope with the upcoming floods and storms expected to hit the central and southern regions.
Flood damage
Heavy rain and flooding claimed the lives of two people in Khanh Hoa Province. As of yesterday, the water level of the Dinh River was 1.12m higher than the third alarm level.
Water levels in reservoirs have also rapidly risen. The Da Ban, Cam Ranh, Suoi Dau and Lang Nhot Ea Krong Rou reservoirs have opened their flood discharge gates.
Phu Yen Province suffered heavy rains from November 1 to 4. As of yesterday morning, the water level in the province’s rivers had exceeded the third alarm level.
The Phu Yen Committee for Flood and Storm Control reported yesterday afternoon that six people had been swept away by flood waters.
As of yesterday, the mountainous districts of Dong Xuan, Tuy An, Son Hoa were also isolated by flooding.
So far, the province has evacuated more than 4,000 people to safety.
Many roads and houses in Tuy Hoa City were also flooded.
Twenty-three workers on the Da Den hydropower project in Tay Hoa District have been isolated by the flooding.
According to Binh Dinh Province’s Committee for Search and Rescue, heavy rain and flooding has caused serious damage to property in the province, and according to initial reports three people were dead, and one was missing.
The residential areas of An Lao, Hoai Nhon, Phu Cat and Tuy Phuoc districts and Quy Nhon City were also flooded.
Meanwhile, heavy rains have caused landslides and blocked roads to mountainous districts in Quang Ngai Province.
Communes on the edges of big rivers have been submerged by the rising water and one person has been reported to have died while running away from the flooding.
In Kon Tum Province, roads have been blocked by landslides, among them National Highway 24, which links Quang Ngai to other Tay Nguyen provinces. The local government has mobilised workers to clear the roads.
Aid continues
Thua Thien-Hue continued in its efforts to send 220 tonnes of rice to flood-affected people yesterday.
In recent days, packages of 50 tonnes of rice and 7 tonnes of instant noodles have been delivered to flood-prone districts.
So far, the flood has caused eight deaths. The families of victims have been granted VND3 million each by the provincial authority.
Yesterday, the province asked the Government for a further 50 tonnes of rice and VND50 billion for flood victims.
To restore production, the province also asked the Government to grant 860 tonnes of rice seedlings, 15 tonnes of maize seedlings and 5 tonnes of vegetable seeds, as well as 1,200 pigs and 15,000 chickens for breeding.
According to Thua Thien-Hue Party Secretary, Ho Xuan Man, flooding in the province could be prolonged, and most people in the affected areas were suffering food and fuel shortages.
So far, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front has donated VND300 million; the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has offered 2 tonnes of vegetable seeds and the Health Ministry has granted medicines and anti-mosquito chemicals.
Quang Tri Province has granted 30 tonnes of rice to people in flood-prone areas, while the provincial Red Cross has donated VND300,000-500,000 for each family whose house was unroofed.
The districts of Hai Lang and Hai Thanh were seriously affected by flooding.
In Hai Lang District, 4,500 houses were submerged and 62 houses were unroofed. — VNS
