Across north and central Vietnam, coastal localities have proactively taken drastic measures to minimise possible impacts of Storm Son Tinh, the eighth to hit the country this year, when it churned in a central-northerly direction.

According to the Central Hydro-Meteorology Centre, by 13:00 of October 28, the storm centre was around 140km south-southeasterly off the provinces from Thai Binh to Thanh Hoa with maximum sustained winds of 118-149 km per hour.

It is predicted to move in a north-northwesterly course at a speed of 10 and 15 km per hour.

The anticipation of storm impacts and tidal wave caused a sea level rise of 3-3.5m on the waters from Thai Binh to Thanh Hoa provinces, the centre reported.

On the day, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, Head of the Central Flood and Disaster Control Steering Committee came to northern Ninh Binh province to inspect the preparedness of the locality’s coastal district of Kim Son.

He requested authorities of the province and Kim Son district to make a double check over their evacuation plans, especially for old people and children from dangerous areas, and ensure smooth communications to enable prompt deployment of search and rescue plans.

Dealing with complicated developments of the storm, northern Quang Ninh province forbade sea activities as from 15hr of October 27, seeing the anchor of 1,260 ships, including 160 off-shore fishing vessels. The provincial authorities were bracing for evacuating local people from dangerous areas.

While in the northern port city of Hai Phong, 13,270 people working on over 4,000 fishing boats and aquaculture breeding cages at sea have been brought ashore.

The municipal authorities have given out instructions on the evacuation of more than 15,600 people in costal districts of Cat Hai and Do Son, where coastal flooding and heavy rains are possible.

In other provinces, including Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, fishing boats have been called in take shelter and people residing in low land areas have been evacuated to safe places.

Due to the storm impacts, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has so far cancelled 62 flights for October 27 and 28. Meanwhile China’s aviation has to cancel nearly 100 flights.-VNA