Northern localities brace for typhoon Nida

Hanoi (VNA) – Northern localities have been asked to make critical preparations to cope with typhoon Nida, the second to rise in the East Sea so far this year, which is forecast to bring heavy rain to the north of Vietnam from the night of August 2.

On August 2, the Hanoi Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Preparation and Control sent a dispatch to all localities across the city, asking them to keep a close watch on the movements of the typhoon, ensuring safety for people and public works, and minimising losses caused by it.

The localities are requested to closely monitor lakes and dams, while making forces and equipment ready for all circumstances.

The city’s Department of Transportation and police are asked to keep the traffic smooth, especially in areas with a high possibility of flooding. Meanwhile, the Hanoi Sewerage and Drainage Co., Ltd. has been assigned to make plans to drain city streets and urban areas, and the Hanoi Green Tree Park Company must tidy up all fallen trees as fast as possible.

At the same time, the northern mountainous province of Bac Kan, which was seriously affected by the previous typhoon several days ago, is on high alert of flood and landslides.

The most vulnerable areas include Pac Nam, Bach Thong, Ba Be and Cho Don.

Local authorities are checking the operation of lakes and reservoirs, while preparing equipment and working teams on round-the-clock duty to ensure safety for locals and their property and perform timely search and rescue activities.

Torrential rain and a whirlwind during the previous typhoon destroyed 2 hectares of paddy fields in Bac Kan, while causing landslides in some canals and streets.

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting, at 1pm on August 2, typhoon Nida was centred at 23.5 degrees north latitude and 112.5 degrees east longitude in the southwest of China’s Guangdong province, packing winds of up to 75km per hour.

In the next 12 hours, it will move west-northwest at a speed of 25 km per hour and weaken to a low pressure before reaching China’s Guangxi province at about 1am on August 3.-VNA