Phu Quoc airport re-opened following closure due to floods
Phu Quoc International Airport in the southern province of Kien Giang has been re-opened after being closed for many hours on August 9 due to severe inundation.
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| Phu Quoc airport re-opened following closure due to floods |
Heavy downpours over past days, particularly on August 8-9 submerged the airport’s runway, overloading for the airport’s water drainage system.
The airport authorities made more drainage canals from the runway area to Cua Lap River and used sandbags.
Between 9am to 8pm on August 9, up to 74 flights were cancelled, affecting 1,600 passengers.
On August 9, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietnam Air Services Company (Vasco) cancelled all flights to and from Phu Quoc.
Meanwhile, budget airlines Jetstar Pacific cancelled four HCM City-Phu Quoc flights and two Danang-Phu Quoc flights on the same day.
Budget airlines Vietjet also delayed many flights, including those on Hanoi-Phu Quoc and HCM City-Phu Quoc routes.
The airport began operations again at 8:30pm on the same day.
Around 1,000 flights was conducted on August 10.
Vietnam Airlines run 16 flights on August 10 to make up for the cancelled planes.
By late August 9, Phu Quoc had been flooded for eight day. By then, up to 1,200 local residents were excavated, mostly women and children.
Areas in Duong Dong Town and Cua Duong Commune were hardest hit. Authorities have sent forces to help locals at dangerous traffic spots.
Hundreds of volunteers helped in the evacuation of local people over recent days.
People who do not have relatives have been moved to schools and the headquarters of local agencies. They are also given free meals and drinks.
To date, around 5,500 households and a large area of crops along with poultry in Phu Quoc District have been submerged, resulting in a total loss of VND70 billion (USD3 million).
