For the past few days, the tropical depression moving in the East Sea has been causing high tides and destroying many houses in central Vietnam, the central Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Center reported.

A woman in Quang Ngai Province's Binh Son District cried her eyes out after her house was destroyed by violent sea waves, Photo: Tuoi Tre

The depression, which was about 220 km from Truong Sa (Spratly) islands this noon, is moving at 10 km with winds of 63-75 kph and can be upgraded into a storm, the center warned.

In the past few days, the depression has caused bad weather to many central provinces, including Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai and Phu Yen.

The sea of Binh Dinh Province has been violently rough while its coastal areas have been suffering a northwest wind of 45-62 kph with gusts of 75 kph.

Vessels of more than 447 fishing households in Nhon Chau Island Commune have failed to land on or leave Qui Nhon City for the last four days, causing a standstill of fishing activities in the area, said Ngo Van Quy, Chairman of the communal People’s Committee.

Yesterday afternoon, the Khanh Hoa Province Border Guard Command asked the Border Guard High Command and the Foreign Ministry to request Malaysian authorities to allow 15 Vietnamese shipping boats to land on some Malaysian islands to take shelter from the tropical depression.

These boats had earlier reported to the Command that they could not find any place as safe as some Malaysian islands to move to in the current bad weather.

Yesterday noon, the Binh Dinh Border Guard Command guided 9 fishing boats to move to Da Lat Island of the Truong Sa archipelago to take shelter from the depression after the vessels sent signals for help.

In Quang Ngai Province, violent sea waves have destroyed at least 48 houses in coastal areas and high tides have caused serious landslides in An Cuong Hamlet in Binh Son District.

17 families have been evacuated to safe places and 170 others might be evacuated in days to come, Hoang Van Tien, head of the hamlet, said.

In Phu Yen Province, high tides have been threatening residents in Tuy Hoa City’s An Phu Commune and Tuy An District’s An Ninh Dong Commune for the past few days, said the provincial Military Command.

Especially, sea waves of 2 to 3 m have submerged An Phu Commune’s Ro Hamlet yesterday. Authorities evacuated more than 40 families to safe places but a number of houses were destroyed, the Command said.

About 270 soldiers have also been mobilized to help locals set up embankments with bags of sand to prevent high tides, the Command said.

In a separate development, northern Vietnam will suffer another cold snap as of December 15. The temperature will drop to 11 to 14 Celsius degree in daytime and 15 to 18 Celsius degree at night, the central Hydro- Meteorological Forecasting Center warned.

In high mountainous areas like Mau Son, Sap, Sin Ho and O Quy Ho Pass, the temperature will plunge to 3-5 Celsius degree or lower, the center said.

Source: Tuoi Tre