Storm Parma caused serious damage to life and property in the northern coastal Hai Phong city’s Bach Long Vi island over a 10-hour period

Storm Parma caused serious damage to life and property in the northern coastal Hai Phong city’s Bach Long Vi island. (Photo: VNN)

Public utilities were destroyed and communication system between the island and mainland had been continuously interrupted, said Ai.

Hai Phong city authorities sent more boats to the island to aid rescue and repair efforts and to transfer the injured to the mainland for further treatment.

As many as 1,200 households consisting of 3,700 residents in the city’s seven hardest-hit districts were evacuated to safety on Tuesday night.

In northern Quang Ninh province, authorities yesterday confirmed that the province was prepared to evacuate residents of Yen Hung district’s Phong Coc, Phong Hai and Tien Phong communes living near the Ha Nam sea dyke in case it was breached by the storm.

The province has reported initial losses of 300ha of rice in Van Don district and another 10ha in Co To district.

On the coast off Dau Tan near the province’s Mong Cai city, two of three crew members were rescued from a tanker that sank on Monday with the other still missing.

As of yesterday, provincial and city authorities from Hai Phong to Ha Tinh had evacuated nearly 30,000 people to safety.

Border guards along the coast of provinces from Quang Ninh to Thua Thien-Hue city provinces have guided more than 27,000 boats with nearly 90,000 fishermen to shelters.

A force of nearly 3,000 soldiers and 200 rescue vehicles are ready for emergencies.

By yesterday afternoon, Storm Parma had already downgraded into a tropical low pressure with its eye around the coast of northern provinces from Thai Binh to Nam Dinh, according to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecast. Gusts were recorded at up to 74kph.

The centre predicted that the low pressure would move to the southern provinces in the southern part of the Hong (Red) River Delta and central Thanh Hoa province, with wind speeds of less than 39kph. It is expected to keep moving westwards and dissipate this afternoon.

Meanwhile, sympathies and assistance to the previous Typhoon Ketsana’s victims keep coming.

Assistance

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has signed a decree providing VND220 billion (US$12.325 million) from this year’s central budget reserves as well as offering 7,000 tonnes of rice from Government stockpiles, to victims in 15 provinces affected by the recent heavy rains and floods.

The assistance, aimed at the most affected provinces - nine in the north, four in the central region and two in the south - intends to help in restoring schools, medical centres and irrigation and transport systems, and reviving anti-flood and storm constructions.

The northern mountainous provinces of Cao Bang and Bac Kan will receive most, with each getting VND30 billion. Another three northern provinces of Lai Chau, Ha Giang and Thai Nguyen will each receive VND20 billion. Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces in the central region and southern Long An province will each secure VND15 billion, while central Thua Thien-Hue and southern An Giang province will each get VND10 billion. Northern Nam Dinh, Ha Nam and Thai Binh province are also on the assistance list.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister decided to utilise VND460 billion from budget reserves and over 10,000 tonnes of rice from the national stockpiles to help eight cities and provinces affected by the Ketsana tropical storm.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News