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Another storm hits Vietnam as country braces for more flooding

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Another storm hits Vietnam as country braces for more flooding
September 19, 2024
Article Body Text <a href="https://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/news/vietnamnews/soulik-typhoon-central-region-vietnam-warning-floold-landslide-09192024074154.html">Read this story in Vietnamese</a> A new tropical storm slammed Vietnam on Thursday, prompting the evacuation of about 1,000 people as authorities warned of more landslides and floods a week after the biggest typhoon of the year swept through Southeast Asia. Typhoon Soulik made landfall in Vietnam’s central provinces with heavy rainfall and wind speeds of 74 kilometers per hour (45 mph). It follows on the heels of <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/typhoon-yagi-asia-storm-09082024223624.html">Typhoon Yagi, which arrived on Vietnam’s north coast</a> on Sept. 14. By Wednesday, flooding and landslides from that storm had left at least 329 people dead or missing and had caused an estimated 50,000 billion dong (US$2 billion) economic damage. On Thursday, 350 communes across 10 provinces and cities in the middle of the country were thought to be at risk of landslides from Typhoon Soulik, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. <figure><img alt="20240919-VIETNAM-FLOODING-TYPHOON-YAGI-002.jpg" class="image-richtext image-inline" src="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/typhoon-soulik-country-braces-after-typhoon-yagi-09192024154843.html/20240919-vietnam-flooding-typhoon-yagi-002.jpg/@@images/2f197d3a-39a2-4a45-a374-77aca18634b3.jpeg" title="20240919-VIETNAM-FLOODING-TYPHOON-YAGI-002.jpg"/> <figcaption>Shop owners stand inside their flooded shop following the impact of Typhoon Yagi, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sept. 11, 2024. (Khanh Vu/Reuters) </figcaption> </figure> The 1,000 people who were evacuated were moved from dangerous areas in the hours before the new storm landed, the Quang Binh Provincial Command for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue said. Other preparations included the military mobilization of more than 260,000 people and putting some 4,000 vehicles – including 10 helicopters – on standby for rescue and supply operations, according to state media. Homes swept away In northern Laos, 2,700 people in Luang Namtha province have been using the provincial administrative hall and other government buildings as temporary shelters after flash floods from Typhoon Yagi’s rains damaged or swept away their homes, authorities said. “Most of them staying here didn’t bring anything from their houses – only taking one set of clothes when the flood came,” said Brig. Gen. Inkeo Phommachanh, a member of the province’s disaster management committee. Food and drinking water have been sent to people in villages and at the temporary shelters, he said. About 50 schools in the province have been affected by floods, with some classrooms still under water and others left unusable by muddy remnants. Desks, chairs and books have also been damaged, an education official told Radio Free Asia. Some 5,600 students will have to wait until classrooms have been cleared of mud and restocked with desks, she said, adding that the school year began just two weeks ago. In Myanmar’s Bago region, floodwaters from Typhoon Yagi have prompted the evacuations of around 80,000 people in Taungoo district, according to aid and relief groups. Rescue workers told RFA on Tuesday that at least 10 people were swept away by flooding in Taungoo township. Translated by Anna Vu, Phouvong and Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Matt Reed. RFA Lao and RFA Burmese contributed to this report.
Content Type Text
Language English
NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
Rights (Hau Dinh/AP)
Network VOA
Embargo Date September 19, 2024 15:56 EDT
Byline By RFA Vietnamese
Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English