>>> Storm Doksuri to make landfall in central Vietnam Friday afternoon
After landing in the central locale, Doksuri, the tenth to enter the East Sea this year and said to be the strongest typhoon in a decade, brought with it heavy rains from 200-300mm and strong winds, greatly affecting local houses in Quang Binh.
Flooding occurred in a range of localities with trees downed and metres high waves hitting the shore. Tens of thousands of houses have been flooded and unroofed.
Quang Binh’s electricity has been cut across the province and many greetings, billboards and trees have been blown over. At present, the local authorities, functional forces and local people are struggling to cope with the storm.
The province has moved more than 11,000 people to safe places. In rivers such as the Gianh and Nhat Le Rivers, water levels rose to an alarming Level 3. At the storm centre area in Quang Trach district, strong winds have blown away thousands roofs.
Many greetings, billboards and trees have been blown over in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province. (Credit: plo.vn)
According to initial statistics, Doksuri has killed one and injured six others in Quang Binh; 13 houses have collapsed, 49,155 houses have been unroofed, mostly in Quang Trach district and Ba Don town; and 1,500 homes have been flooded.
The typhoon has caused a number of small boats to sink, damaged dozens of electric poles and destroyed more than 1,000 ha of rubber trees. Many roads in Dong Hoi city and Minh Hoa and Tuyen Hoa mountainous districts are deeply inundated. In Bo Trach district, hundreds of houses have been inundated in 0.5-2m deep water.
Estimated damage caused by Typhoon Doksuri in Quang Binh is at nearly VND1.8 trillion (US$79.2 million).
Quang Binh is the hardest-hit province with estimated damage caused by Typhoon Doksuri at nearly US$79.2 million. (Credit: dantri.com.vn)
In the neighbouring Ha Tinh province, over 23,000 homes were unroofed and nine villages have been flooded in Ky Anh district. According to Phan Duy Vinh, Vice Chairman of Ky Anh Town People's Committee, 80% of houses in local coastal communes and schools and clinics have been damaged and unroofed. Local authorities are mobilising all forces to clean up local homes and provide food and water to locals in the coastal area.
In Nghe An, the typhoon has caused heavy rains and strong winds, threatening the safety of sea dykes in Quynh Long commune, Quynh Luu district. By 3pm on Friday, many roads in the province were heavily flooded and unable to pass. The damage has not been accurately recorded but there are many areas of rice crop damaged. Nghe An is warning of the risk of flash floods and landslides after the storm, especially in coastal and mountainous districts.
In Thua Thien-Hue province, as of 4pm this afternoon, over 600 houses have collapsed and been damaged by cyclones generated by the storm. Erosion has occurred on parts of the coast line in Thuan An town, Phu Loc district and La Son-Tuy Loan Highway, forcing 410 households, with 1,424 people to be relocated to safe places.
The 100m high TV tower collapsed in Ky Anh, Ha Tinh. (Credit: dantri.com.vn)
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting in its latest report stated that Typhoon Doksuri was spotted on the border line of Vietnam and Laos by 2pm this afternoon, packing winds of 60-90kph.
It is forecast that in the next six hours, the typhoon will move in a northwestern direction at 20-25kph, going deep into Central Laos and weakening into a tropical depression. By 7pm later today, the tropical low pressure’s position will be at approximately 18 degrees north latitude and 104.2 degrees east latitude in Central Laos. The strongest winds in the area near the centre of the tropical low pressure are forecast to be at 50-60kph.
Due to the impact of Doksuri, from yesterday to 1 pm Friday, provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai witnessed heavy rains with average rainfall of 100- 200mm, while areas from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri 200-300mm; some places even higher, such as Ha Tinh city 331mm, Dong Hoi 334mm, Con Co Island (Quang Tri) 356mm, and Dong Ha city 335mm.
Trees downed during Storm Doksuri in Thua Thien-Hue. (Credit: news.zing.vn)
Many homes have been unroofed and damaged in Quang Tri. (Credit: thanhnien.vn)
Storm Doksuri desolates Sam Son beach in Thanh Hoa province. (Credit: danviet.vn)
