Central region braces for Storm Goni

The central localities are stepping up post-disaster response after consecutive storms last month, while bracing themselves against the approach of Storm Goni, which is forecast to hit the already flood-damaged region in the next few days.

Goni is forecast to weaken before making landfall in central Vietnam over the next 48 to 72 hours. (Photo: nchmf.gov.vn)
Goni is forecast to weaken before making landfall in central Vietnam over the next 48 to 72 hours. (Photo: nchmf.gov.vn)

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However, according to the national weather service, Goni will weaken before making landfall in the next 48 to 72 hours.

At 10am this morning (Nov 3), the location of the storm was about 380km to the southeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, packing winds from 60-75 kph.

Over the next 24 to 48 hours, the typhoon will move mainly in the southwest direction at a speed of 10 kph. By 7 am on November 5, the storm's position is forecast to be about 150km to the east of the coastal areas from central provinces of Quang Ngai to Khanh Hoa, packing winds of 60-90 kph.

During the next 48 to 72 hours, the typhoon will move mainly in a southwest direction at a speed of 10-15 kph and weaken into a tropical depression before making landfall in areas from Quang Ngai to Khanh Hoa, where it will then weaken further.

In coping with the looming storm, yesterday evening, the Central Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue sent a joint telegram to the central localities from Nghe An to Khanh Hoa and related units, urging for proactive response to Typhoon Goni, the tenth tropical storm to affect Vietnam this year.

Accordingly, localities were required to continue to strictly follow the previous instructions from the Prime Minister as well as from the two Steering Committees on natural disaster response, while closely monitoring the evolution of the new storm to regularly inform vessels operating at sea to actively move out of dangerous areas. They should prepare plans to be ready to evacuate people and implement measures to ensure safety for them and other coastal facilities, especially in the provinces of Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa and residential areas along rivers and streams, downstream of lakes and dams, and in low-lying areas that are at risk of flash floods and landslides.

Functional forces carry goods to isolated people in Phuoc Thanh Commune, Phuoc Son District, Quang Nam Province. (Photo: NDO/Tan Nguyen)

On the same day, the People's Committee of Kon Tum Province instructed local authorities to actively help local households promptly overcome the consequences of the previous Typhoon Molave, while sending missions to visit and support locals who are suffering from the floods and landslides.

Nghe An Province has sent a document to the 4th Military Region Command to call for their support in helping local people overcome the consequences of floods triggered by Storm Molave’s circulation in the locality.

On the afternoon of November 2, the Border Guard Command of Quang Binh Province said that Sat Village in Truong Son Commune, Quang Ninh District, is the only place in Quang Binh that is still isolated by flooding. Against the coming Storm Goni, local authorities have instructed the Border Guard to coordinate with the local government to relocate all 18 local households out of the flooded areas and areas at high risk of landslides. The province’s Border Guards have also repaired classrooms to facilitate local students in returning to school soon. The Quang Binh Department of Transport has directed its units to temporarily fix the landslides to facilitate traffic to Truong Son Commune.

On November 2, Division 372 under the Vietnam Air Defence - Air Force continued with the deployment of four flights to carry food and supplies to the two communes of Phuoc Thanh and Phuoc Loc in Phuoc Son District, Quang Nam Province, which have remained cut off for days due to flooding and landslides.

On November 2, at Rao Trang 3 Hydropower Area (Phong Xuan Commune, Phong Dien District, Thua Thien Hue Province), rescue forces continued to search for the remaining workers who are still missing at the site due to landslides. Currently, 12 workers have yet to be found of the 17 victims who went missing.

At 4pm on November 2, Binh Dinh Province completed the restoration of the electrical network after the failures caused by Storm Molave’s circulation, thus ensuring safety and continuous supply to 100% of the affected customers across the whole province.

Workers of Binh Dinh Power Company fix issues in the province’s power grid caused by the recent Storm Molave. (Photo: NDO/Cat Hung)

On the morning of November 2, at the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism gave gifts to people in the central provinces to overcome the damage caused by natural disasters. The total amount raised was more than VND845 million. Previously, on the morning of October 21, the ministry held a campaign to raise funds to support people in central provinces with the total amount donated by units under the ministry at VND1.6 billion.

The Vietnam Social Security has decided to spend VND2 billion to support 10 provinces and cities seriously affected by storms and floods in the central region, with each to receive VND200 million. Accordingly, about 250 health insurance cards will be presented to people in the districts and communes that have been severely damaged by storms and floods in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Kon Tum.

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group has donated VND28 billion to support people in the central region, as well as providing petroleum to support more than 1,400 relief vehicles and giving fertilisers and production materials to help local people recover production following the natural disasters.

As of November 2, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Quang Tri Province has received a total of VND40 billion along with many other essential necessities to support local people in overcoming the consequences of storms and flooding.

On November 2, Thanh Hoa Province's working group awarded VND2 billion to Quang Nam Province to support the local people to stabilise their lives and restore production. On the same day, Thanh Hoa's mission also handed over VND500 million and other necessities to localities in Nghe An Province that were badly damaged by floods.

On November 2, Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee said that it had decided to allocate 2,500 tonnes of rice to support people affected by floods as per the Prime Minister's direction. This is the second time Quang Binh has distributed rice to help local people overcome immediate difficulties and stabilise their lives.