An out-of-season tropical depression entered the mainland on January 20 and caused heavy rain and strong winds in southern Vietnam and the Central Regions.

A pine tree falls in Da Lat city.

Strong waves plunged 18 boats and damaged 68 others, killed two people and swept away another on Phu Quy island in Binh Thuan province. By January 20 evening, Binh Thuan reported damage amounting to nearly 4.2 billion dong caused by the tropical depression.

The tropical depression then moved to the Central Highlands, causing heavy rain and squalls. In Lam Dong province, a commune with over 400 families lost power. Many houses and trees were damaged. The resort city of Da Lat also lost many pine trees and old trees due to heavy rain.

Quang Ngai province is yet to report human loss but 1,200ha of winter-spring rice was flooded. The local authorities banned fishing boats from going out to the sea.

In Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa, there was drizzly rain and cold weather. Because of the rough sea, boats were also banned from leaving to the sea.

According to the weather forecast agency, rain and strong winds will continue in the next 1-2 days while the tropical depression gets deeper into the mainland where it will weaken.

PV