Localities brace for Storm Dianmu

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, coastal localities like Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh in the north and the central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh will experience strong winds with a level 3 disaster risk.

The Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of Hai Phong city said more than 2,500 boats are operating at sea with over 7,700 people aboard. The municipal people’s committee has instructed the localities and agencies to ask these vessels to find shelter before Thursday night, and to inspect local dykes and reservoirs. Waterway transportation and coastal entertainment activities must be suspended no later than 4pm the same day. Residents in low-lying areas will be evacuated before midnight on August 19.

As of 5pm on August 18, more than 7,000 fishing boats offshore and nearly 25 thousand fishermen have reached mooring. To prepare for the storm, coastal localities in the province prohibited offshore fishing activities, kept close contact with other offshore fishing boats which are currently safely moored. Meanwhile, local people living in the coastal region are preparing for evacuation.

Similar efforts have been made by Nam Dinh Province which is home to more than 2,000 boats and over 5,000 fishermen. Of the number, 300 vessels are currently at sea.

Thai Binh Province is also promptly evacuating residents from areas outside sea walls, especially in Tien Hai and Thai Thuy districts. As of 7am on August 18, the locality called on 1,248 out of 1,293 vessels to anchor in safe areas. From August 16-18, Thai Binh experienced an average rainfall of 61.4mm.