Vietnam border, seas, islands

Thanh Hoa asked to mobilise resources for storm prevention

By VNA 16/08/2018 20:55 |

Thanh Hoa, August 16 (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung on August 16 urged the central province of Thanh Hoa to mobilise all resources in order to protect the lives and property of local residents as Storm Bebinca approaches.

During a field trip to Thanh Hoa to inspect its preparation for the storm, the official asked chairpersons of the province and its districts to directly steer the evacuation work.

The province needs to set forth plans to protect crops and facilities, minimising all potential losses caused by the disaster, he said, highlighting the core role of armed forces in handling storm-related incidents.

While in Thanh Hoa, the Deputy PM inspected the operation of Cua Dat reservoir in Thuong Xuan district.

The province houses up to 610 reservoirs, of which 124 have failed to meet safety regulations in cases of flooding.

All the 7,443 vessels and 27,747 people working at sea in Thanh Hoa have reached shelters.

Storm Bebinca, the fourth appearing in the East Sea this year, is forecast to hit the mainland of Vietnam early on August 17. It passed the Leizhou Peninsular of China and entered the Tonkin Gulf on August 16.

At 1pm on August 16, its centre was at about 19.9 degrees north and 107.8 degrees east, just above Vietnam’s Bach Long Vi Island. It sustained wind speeds of up to 75-100km per hour, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

In the next 24 hours, Bebinca is predicted to move westwards at about 10km per hour.

It will directly affect the coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Nghe An on the night of August 16.

Later, the storm will move further into the mainland and abate into a tropical depression whose centre will be at around 20.1 degrees north and 105 degrees east, just above the Vietnam-Laos border area, at 1pm of August 17.

As a result, heavy rains with an average rainfall of 250-300mm are likely to occur in northern and northern central regions from August 16 to August 18. Notably, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces may record a rainfall of up to 400-500mm.

The forecasting centre also warned of a high risk of landslides and flash floods in mountainous areas along with inundation in low-lying and urban areas. –VNA