People scramble to stock up on food before Storm Noru hits

Wet markets in Da Nang were bustling from noon to evening, following an announcement that
markets will close at midnight Monday.
Con Market was packed with people buying food to stockpile.

The butcher shops were the busiest, and sellers did not hike prices.

"There were some 30 people at my shop ready to buy meat at one point," Hoa, a vendor at the market, said.

People also stocked up on fermented fish.

"I bought three boxes because the market will be closed tomorrow and I won't be able to go out when the storm hits," Tam, a resident of Hoang Hoa Tham Street, said.

By 5:30 p.m., several of the market's seafood, pig, and beef shops were sold out but customers were still looking to buy.
Many stalls at Dong Da Market in Hai Chau District and Hoa Khanh Market in Lien Chieu District also quickly sold out. People who arrived late had to go home with empty-handed.

Supermarkets too were packed.

The most frequented section of the Coopmart Da Nang supermarket in Thanh Khe District was the convenience food section.

The most bought items were instant noodles, pho, vermicelli, oatmeal, fish sauce, and cooking oil.

Staff were constantly refilling the shelves, which were fully stocked on Monday night.

Customers were waiting in long queues at the cash counters. "Shoppers were pouring in on Sunday night and Monday," a grocery shop assistant said.

At 5 p.m. Monday, hundreds of motorcycles were parked on Hung Vuong Street in front of BigC supermarket since its parking lot was full.

Grocery stores were also busy, and there were no shortages of goods.

Building material stores were crowded with people buying cables and steel wires for reinforcing house and large nylon bags to keep out water and protect spots on roofs.

Noru, one of the strongest storms in 20 years, entered the East Sea early Monday and is on course toward Da Nang and central provinces.

By 7 p.m. Tuesday, it is expected to lay centered 260 km off Da Nang with winds of up to 166 kph. It will move toward central Vietnam and make landfall before weakening into a tropical depression by 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.