This piece of news first published by Ohmynews on 2006-09-30 15:35 (KST)
Typhoon Xangsane, which means elephant in Laotian, is approaching Vietnam after sweeping through the Philippines, killing 48 people and leaving much damage in its wake. As the storm traversed the South China Sea, it lost strength and was even temporarily downgraded to a tropical storm in the local weather forecast, but recovered as it approached Vietnam.
With maximum winds of up to 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts of 160 kph, the typhoon is moving west at 20 kph and creating waves of up to 8 m (25 feet). According to the weather forecast on Vietnam media, the typhoon is expected to hit Vietnam's central provinces on Sunday morning local time. The eye of the storm is likely to hit the central Vietnamese city of Hue.
Typhoons and tropical storms regularly devastate Vietnam, a country with a long coastline. Last year, eight typhoons and tropical storms hit Vietnam, killing about 50 people and causing damage worth many billions of Vietnamese dongs (16,500 VND=US$1).
Xangsane is called the "sixth storm" this year in Vietnam media weather forecasts. In May, 267 people were killed or went missing after typhoon Chanchu hit Vietnam. Dozens of fishing boats foundered, and the nation's storm forecast and response system were heavily criticized for failing to forecast the typhoon's direction and taking appropriate preventive measures.
Serious preventive measures are now being taken and closely attended to by government officials.
All authorizations for boats to leave port have been suspended. The national and local broadcasters have called hundreds of fishing boats that had yet to return to port after an order for all members of the country's fishing fleet was made to return.
At the time of writing more than 500 fishing boats are still at sea.
All central coastal provinces have been placed on high alert, especially provinces and cities like Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue, and Danang, where the eye of the storm could sweep through.
Local people have been asked to stock water and food for a week, since the typhoon could cause massive floods for many days. Thousands of soldiers have been mobilized and put on maximum alert. Regional authorities began collecting food, medicine, lifeboats, and first aid kits for isolated areas and are preparing for the possible relocation of groups living in landslide and flood-prone areas.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has ordered ministries and local authorities to prepare and has sent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat to the central region to organize operations. He also asked TV and coastal radio stations to regularly provide information on the typhoon's progress.
Preparations for evacuations were under way in nine provinces, from Ha Tinh to Phu Yen. An estimated 180,000 people will be evacuated to avoid casualties, and the evacuations must be finished by 5 p.m. Sept. 30 local time.
The typhoon hits Vietnam at rice and coffee harvest time in the central and southern provinces. Local people and businesses are worried that the production of coffee this year may be affected. Vietnam is currently the second largest coffee grower in the world, just behind Brazil.
Typhoon Xangsane, which means elephant in Laotian, is approaching Vietnam after sweeping through the Philippines, killing 48 people and leaving much damage in its wake. As the storm traversed the South China Sea, it lost strength and was even temporarily downgraded to a tropical storm in the local weather forecast, but recovered as it approached Vietnam.
With maximum winds of up to 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts of 160 kph, the typhoon is moving west at 20 kph and creating waves of up to 8 m (25 feet). According to the weather forecast on Vietnam media, the typhoon is expected to hit Vietnam's central provinces on Sunday morning local time. The eye of the storm is likely to hit the central Vietnamese city of Hue.
Typhoons and tropical storms regularly devastate Vietnam, a country with a long coastline. Last year, eight typhoons and tropical storms hit Vietnam, killing about 50 people and causing damage worth many billions of Vietnamese dongs (16,500 VND=US$1).
Xangsane is called the "sixth storm" this year in Vietnam media weather forecasts. In May, 267 people were killed or went missing after typhoon Chanchu hit Vietnam. Dozens of fishing boats foundered, and the nation's storm forecast and response system were heavily criticized for failing to forecast the typhoon's direction and taking appropriate preventive measures.
Serious preventive measures are now being taken and closely attended to by government officials.
All authorizations for boats to leave port have been suspended. The national and local broadcasters have called hundreds of fishing boats that had yet to return to port after an order for all members of the country's fishing fleet was made to return.
At the time of writing more than 500 fishing boats are still at sea.
All central coastal provinces have been placed on high alert, especially provinces and cities like Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue, and Danang, where the eye of the storm could sweep through.
Local people have been asked to stock water and food for a week, since the typhoon could cause massive floods for many days. Thousands of soldiers have been mobilized and put on maximum alert. Regional authorities began collecting food, medicine, lifeboats, and first aid kits for isolated areas and are preparing for the possible relocation of groups living in landslide and flood-prone areas.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has ordered ministries and local authorities to prepare and has sent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat to the central region to organize operations. He also asked TV and coastal radio stations to regularly provide information on the typhoon's progress.
Preparations for evacuations were under way in nine provinces, from Ha Tinh to Phu Yen. An estimated 180,000 people will be evacuated to avoid casualties, and the evacuations must be finished by 5 p.m. Sept. 30 local time.
The typhoon hits Vietnam at rice and coffee harvest time in the central and southern provinces. Local people and businesses are worried that the production of coffee this year may be affected. Vietnam is currently the second largest coffee grower in the world, just behind Brazil.
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