Two die in central Vietnam while preparing for storm Nakri

By Nguyen Quy, Duc Hoa   November 11, 2019 | 12:00 am PT
Two die in central Vietnam while preparing for storm Nakri
A man strengthens his roof with sand bags in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province, as storm Nakri was near, November 10, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa.
Two men died trying to protect their homes as Storm Nakri devolved into a depression before making landfall in central Vietnam.

One man in the central province of Phu Yen died of electric shock while another in neighboring Binh Dinh Province fell to his death Sunday while they were working on the roofs of their houses in preparation for storm Nakri.

Their deaths were mentioned in the latest report from the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

Nakri storm devolved into a tropical depression before making landfall Sunday night in central Vietnam between Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa Provinces.

It triggered havy rains and caused widespread blackouts.

As of 7 a.m. Monday, the center of the depression was hovering around the Central Highlands, carrying maximum speeds below 40 kilometers per hour. Over the next 12 hours, the depression is forecast to continue moving in a westerly direction at 10-15 kilometers per hour before forming a low-pressure zone in the border area with Cambodia.

From Sunday to Monday morning, Khanh Hoa, home to resort town Nha Trang, and the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak received rainfall of up to 300 mm. Rainfall of 180 mm a day is considered heavy.

Heavy rains triggered by Nakri storm have flooded more than 300 houses and 270 hectares of rice crops in Dak Lak by Monday morning.

People are trapped in a flooded area in Dak Lak Province, November 11, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh.

People are trapped in a flooded area in Dak Lak Province, November 11, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh.

Weather experts have said that the Central Highlands, which produces most of Vietnam's coffee, and the southern regions, including Ho Chi Minh City, should expect more torrential downpours with rainfall of over 100 mm in 12 hours on Monday.

From now until Tuesday afternoon, central provinces from Quang Binh to Binh Dinh should also expect rainfall ranging from 30 to 60 mm a day.

In Phu Yen, Nakri felled several trees and caused widespread blackouts. As of Monday morning, 53 communes in the province had no power.

Khanh Hoa authorities said Nakri did not cause as substantial a damage as expected in the province. 100 meters of canals were damaged and 40 meters of road eroded and 330 hectares of rice crops inundated. Two men, Bui Van Het, 41, and Tran Huu Son, 33, were rescued by district authorities after they were trapped in their vessels near Van Phong Port Sunday afternoon.

The Cam Ranh Airport in Khanh Hoa, Phu Cat Airport in Binh Dinh Province and Pleiku Airport in Gia Lai Province were closed Sunday. More than 50 flights were canceled.

Nakri is the sixth storm to form in Vietnamese waters this year.

On October 30, the area was hit by storm Matmo, which felled hundreds of trees, damaged many houses and caused widespread flooding in Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai provinces.

Vietnam is hit by up to 10 tropical storms during the southwest monsoon between July and October. There were nine last year.

 
 
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