Typhoon Kajiki causes severe damage, 3 dead, 13 injured in Vietnam

Typhoon Kajiki, bringing torrential rains and strong winds, caused at least three deaths and injured 13 others in provinces of Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri, as of 7 am Tuesday.

Three people were killed (one each in Ninh Binh, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh), and 13 others were injured (one in Phu Tho, two in Nghe An, five in Ha Tinh and five in Quang Tri).

Floods and strong winds, triggered by the typhoon, also damaged or unroofed more than 6,802 houses, inundated 28,814 ha of rice fields, destroyed 2,221 ha of other crops, and felled nearly 18,000 trees.

Over 44,000 people from 18,500 households have been evacuated to safer places.

Six landslides were reported along rural roads in the provinces of Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri, while several roads were submerged.

In Thanh Hoa Province, 11 low-water crossings were flooded, resulting in traffic disruptions, while in Quang Tri Province, seven communes were left isolated.

The power grid also suffered severe damage. Three incidents were reported on the 500 kV transmission line, of which two have been repaired. Four incidents on the 220 kV line have all been resolved.

A total of 331 electricity poles were knocked down, leaving nearly 1.3 million customers without power.

Local authorities are working to restore services, assess the full extent of the damage, and provide relief to affected communities.

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said on Tuesday morning that the typhoon, which had weakened into a tropical depression, had moved deeper into central Laos.

The centre also warned that over the next 12 hours, the tropical depression is expected to continue moving west-northwest, gradually weakening into a low-pressure area before dissipating.

Heavy rainfall is likely to persist in the northern delta and midland regions, as well as in Son La, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

Strong winds and rough seas are expected to continue in the Gulf of Tonkin. Authorities advise close monitoring of weather warnings for heavy rain and hazardous maritime conditions.

Priority must be given to repair schools, health stations: Deputy PM

Torrential rains and strong winds caused at least three deaths and injured 13 other people in Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri provinces, as of 7am Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has instructed local authorities to maintain the highest level of mobilisation of military and police forces in recovery efforts after the destruction caused by Typhoon Kajiki, prioritising schools, healthcare facilities, disadvantaged groups and low-income households.

He said support must be provided as a matter of urgency to restore education and healthcare services, stabilising people’s lives.

Hà was speaking on Tuesday morning in Nghe An Province, where he chaired an online meeting with heads of affected provinces and cities to assess the storm response, review the damage and direct follow-up measures in dealing with its after-effects.

The provinces of Quảng Trị, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and the city of Hue were urged to give particular attention to mountainous areas, stressing that preparedness for flash floods, mudslides and landslides must be even stronger than storm prevention, Ha said.

Local authorities were told to inspect densely populated areas along streams and rivers in order to take timely action, especially for the safe evacuation of residents.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment was directed to strictly oversee and intensify weather forecasting efforts, and to review all plans and scenarios for the operation of inter-reservoir systems to ensure safety.

He also said that this was the second storm to hit the East Sea since the two-tier local government came into operation.

Forecasting had been accurate, giving both central and local authorities sufficient time to implement response measures.

He praised provinces of Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh for their swift, timely and decisive action in handling the typhoon.

Reporting the situation to Ha, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and the Environment, Nguyen Hoang Hiep, said the storm response had been rapid, decisive and in some respects unprecedented, with localities taking highly proactive measures.

He emphasised that disaster response in the future must be more specialised and professional within the two-tier local government system.

This requires detailed, scenario-based planning aligned with actual developments, appropriate force allocation, and especially measures to counter flash floods, mudslides and landslides in mountainous areas over the coming days as heavy rainfall continues.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen, deputy minister of National Defence, called on provincial and city authorities to coordinate with the armed forces to accelerate recovery, ensure uninterrupted communications, and guarantee the supply of food and essential goods.

Lieutenant General Ha Tho Binh, commander of Military Zone 4, confirmed that in the coming days, the zone will mobilise troops and equipment to repair damage caused by the typhoon, with particular focus on schools to restore conditions for teaching and learning, as well as on supporting policy beneficiaries and families of merit.

Also on Tuesday, faced with prolonged heavy rainfall from the typhoon, many localities in Phu Tho Province proactively implemented evacuation and response measures to ensure public safety.

Authorities swiftly issued flood and landslide warnings and urged people to move to safe locations.

By Tuesday morning, nearly 200 households with more than 700 residents had been relocated from dangerous areas to safe shelters with the support and mobilisation of functional forces. 

Viet Nam News

Asia News Network