Tropical storm Nock-ten has caused two deaths and huge material damages to northern and central Vietnam , reported the Central Steering Board for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control on July 31.

A 68 year old man in the central province of Nghe An was electrocuted to death while the other, a 60 year old man, was thunderstruck in the northern mountainous province of Son La.

The natural disaster has blown up a school and five local homes and flooded over 3,500 ha of rice and other food crops in Nghe An. An estimated 60 ha of maize was washed out in Son La.

To cope with the storm, local administrations from the northern port city of Hai Phong to the central province of Ha Tinh on July 30 evacuated almost 11,840 families with an estimated 44,200 members to safer places.

Border guards from the northern province of Quang Ninh to the central province of Thua Thien-Hue have coordinated with local authorities in arranging safe shelters for over 32,000 fishing ships with 126,780 crews on board and almost 4,200 seafood-raising workers from 1,980 rafts and floating homes.

The Central Steering Board on Flood and Storm Prevention and Control has asked local administrations and relevant agencies to closely follow the storm developments, especially water levels in reservoirs, and take timely preventive or rescue measures in order to mitigate its impact./.