Vietnam bracing for most powerful storm in 10 years (08th November 2013)

17 November 2013

Floods kill 24 in central VN; Hoi An under deep water

Floods in central Vietnam have left at least 24 people dead and 10 missing as of 8am on November 17, according to figures released by the Central – Central Highlands Center for floods control and prevention.

Among the dead, 12 were found in Binh Dinh, eight in Quang Ngai, two in Quang Nam, one in Kon Tum, and one in Gia Lai, it said. 

10 people have been reported missing in Quang Nam (1), Quang Ngai (4), Binh Dinh (2), Phu Yen (1), Khanh Hoa (1), and Gia Lai (1). 

Dien Ban, Dai Loc, Duy Xuyen districts and Hoi An town in Quang Nam province are submerged on a large-scale while 40 communes in Quang Ngai province are under deep water and many areas in the province have been isolated by the flooding.

As many as 98,094 houses in 41 communes in Binh Dinh province are deeply inundated. On Nov 16, heavy rains of up to 80mm were recorded in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces.

The river level from Quang Ngai to Binh Dinh is rising while the level from Thua Thien Hua to Quang Nam and Phu Yen is slowly subsiding, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).  

The water level in rising rivers from Quang Ngai to Binh Dinh is forecast to reach its peak later today (Nov 17), said NCHMF.

Hoi An under deep water

In Hoi An, floodwaters are slowly receding but many areas in the ancient town are still under water. A section from Bach Dang Street to Hoi An market are 1.5m deep under water, forcing the temporary closure of the market.

Many residents on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street have to wade through knee-deep floodwaters. “This is the worst flooding since 2009 in the area. The floodwaters were rising so fast that we could do nothing” – Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau, a grocery owner on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, told Tuoi Tre.  

In Minh An ward, Hoi An Town, many areas are 1.5m deep in water. Nevertheless, the evacuated residents have begun returning home to clean up their house and throw away rubbish brought in by floodwaters over the last two days.

09 November 2013

After lashing the Philippines, Super Typhoon Haiyan is heading for central Vietnam with maximum winds of over 220 kph. It is likely to hit several provinces Sunday morning, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) reported.

 The expected path of super typhoon Haiyan

 A mother takes refuge with her children as super typhoon Haiyan hits Cebu city, Central Phillipines

International experts said that Haiyan is perhaps the strongest storm in human history. According to the US-based Weather Underground Organization (WUO), as it approached the Philippines the typhoon packed sustained winds of 315 kph and gusts of 380 kph, stronger than any storm ever observed. 
The extremely powerful typhoon killed at least 100 people in the central Philippines before entering the East Sea last night, Reuters reported.
At 4 am ICT today, November 9, the typhoon was centered at 12.5 degrees latitude north and 117.3 degrees longitude east, 360 km east-northeast of  Song Tu Tay Island, part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, with winds as high as 167-201 kph, together with gusts of over 220 kph, NCHMF reported.
Due to the super typhoon, from this morning the central East Sea, including the areas around Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracel), will experience rough seas and winds as strong as 89-133 kph, which will increase to 201 kph around the eye, together with gusts of over 220 kph.
Haiyan is moving between west and west-northwest at about 30-35 kph, and at 4 am Saturday it will be located off of Thua Thien-Hue and Binh Dinh provinces, with winds of 150-183 kph and gusts as strong as 220 kph.

According to a report issued at 5:30 am by the NCHMF, the typhoon may later change its direction to between west-northwest and northwest, and first make landfall in the coastal region running from Quang Ngai to Thua Thien-Hue provinces at about 4 am Sunday.
The storm will then sweep through central Vietnam at about 30 kph, impacting several provinces, including Quang Tri and Ha Tinh.

However, according to the center's report issued at 11:30 am, Haiyan will not hit the Quang Ngai-Thua Thien-Hue region but when coming near Quang Ngai's Ly Son Island it will change its direction to run along off the coastal central region and will strike the Ha Tinh-Quang Binh region later.

Meteorological agencies in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan also forecast that the typhoon will sweep through north central provinces from Quang Binh to Thanh Hoa.

At 4 am on November 11, the typhoon will be centered in the mountainous areas of the north central region, with weaker winds, at 75-102 kph, together with gusts of 133 kph, according to NCHMF.
The storm’s movement will then slow to 15 kph and weaken into a tropical depression.
Yesterday Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung chaired an online meeting with local authorities in the region running from Thanh Hoa to Ca Mau Provinces, asking them to take measures to cope with the storm.
All possible forces and efforts must be made to ensure people’s safety while minimizing property damage, he said.
The National Committee for Search and Rescue last night reported that more than 450,000 soldiers and militia, and over 5,400 means of transport, including 12 planes, 356 ships, and 2,680 trucks, have been mobilized to deal with the super typhoon’s impact.

 (http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/14950/worlds-strongest-storm-to-hit-vietnam-early-sunday)

  

 Da Nang to evacuate 20,000 families ahead of super typhoon Haiyan 

Authorities of the central city of Da Nang are planning to evacuate 20,000 households, mainly in Lien Chieu and Hoa Vang districts, as part of precautions ahead of super typhoon Haiyan, which is forecast to hit Vietnam early Sunday.



The evacuation will finish before 7:00pm today, according to Van Huu Chien – chairman of the People’s Committee of the city. 
As one of the strongest storms ever recorded on the planet, Haiyan plowed across the Philippines yesterday and is now moving into the East Sea. It is traveling west-northwest at a speed of about 30 kph.

“This is the strongest typhoon in the history of the East Sea, and it can be compared with other historic storms as hurricanes Andrew and Katrina in the US, and typhoon Nargis in Myanmar,” said Bui Minh Tang—director of the Central Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center. 
“It may be the strongest storm to hit the mainland of Vietnam in history,” he added. “The wind radius of the typhoon is 400 – 500km wide.”

From now until the typhoon makes landfall in Vietnam, the waters between the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos in the East Sea will be very dangerous, with strong winds and gusts reaching Category 15-17 levels, or from 202-220 kph. Violent winds and gusts are likely to start impacting the waters off the central region this afternoon.

The center of the typhoon is forecast to approach the coastal region from Quang Ngai to Hue around 4:00am on November 10, before moving north into Quang Binh and Nghe An provinces, said Tang. 

The coastal area from Phu Yen to Thanh Hoa will experience winds from Category 8 to Category 14.

Heavy rains will drench the area beginning this evening, with average rainfall amounts ranging from 200mm to 600mm, according to Mr. Tang. 

Coastal areas from Nghe An to Quang Ngai will see a flood tide of 4-6 meters and waves as high as 5-8 meters.

 (http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/14944/da-nang-to-evacuate-20000-people-for-super-typhoon-haiyan)

 

08 November 2013
 Super typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever observed, slammed into the Philippines early Friday and will enter the East Sea early morning, heading for central Vietnam, where it may hit late Sunday or early Monday, the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center reported.

With sustained winds of 315 kph and gusts as strong as 380 kph, Haiyan churned across the Western Pacific into the Philippines early this morning. Thousands of people in vulnerable areas of the central Philippines have been evacuated.

The super typhoon will be the most powerful storm to hit Vietnam in the past 10 years, said Bui Minh Tang, the center’s director.

Along with fierce winds, the typhoon can cause sea waves to rise as high as 10-15 meters, which is very dangerous to all boats at sea, he said.

At 4 am ICT today, November 8, the super typhoon was centered at 10.8 degrees latitude north and 125.9 degrees longitude east in the central Philippines, with winds near the eye reaching up to 220 kph.

Haiyan is moving between west and west-northwest at a speed of about 35 kph and at  4 am Saturday it will be seen about 360 km east-northeast of Song Tu Tay Island, part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, with winds as powerful as 183-220 kph and with squalls of over 220 kph.
Due to the super typhoon, from this evening the eastern East Sea will experience rough sea and winds as strong as 118-149 kph, which increase to 201 kph in the eye, together with squalls of over 220 kph.
In the next 24 hours, Haiyan will continue to move in the same direction at 30-35 kph, towards mid-central Vietnam.
At 4 am on Sunday, November 10, the super typhoon will be seen 180 km east of the coastal region between Thua Thien-Hue and Binh Dinh provinces, with winds of up to 183 kph and gusts of over 220 kph.
Haiyan will later change its direction to move northwest and if the typhoon maintains its direction, it will hit the region in late Sunday or early Monday, November 11, the center warned.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, head of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, has requested that all local authorities in the coastal central region take measures to cope with the storm.
All possible efforts must be made to ensure people’s safety while minimizing property damage, he said. 
All boats at sea must be kept well informed of the typhoon’s developments so that they can take safety measures in time, the committee said.

 (http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/14914/vietnam-bracing-for-most-powerful-storm-in-10-years)