High tidal surges of the Han River and torrential rains accompanied by strong winds flooded many parts of Da Nang city, bringing down power lines and trees and peeling off roofs. Several makeshift houses and restaurants on Son Tra and Dien Ngoc streets collapsed.
Cleanup efforts got under way to remove fallen trees and ensure traffic flows.

In Thanh Khe district, many roofs of people’s houses blew off, hundreds of big trees fell and several sections of main roads were 1m deep under water. According to the district’s authorities, most households in high-risk areas have been moved to safe areas.

Power outages were reported in the ancient town of Hoi An and Dai Loc district in Quang Nam province. Two people were severely injured. The trans-national railway line and its communication system were paralysed. Six express trains had to stop traveling at stations in Lang Co (Thua Thien-Hue province) and Da Nang city.

The special task force established under the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control asked local people to stay at home and warned Central Highlands provinces of landslides and flash floods.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung, who has been in Da Nang to help out with storm control measures, told VOV on Sunday morning that he has asked local administrations to prepare all means to cope with the typhoon, particularly for national key projects.

In Quang Binh province, the typhoon directly hit Quang Trach, Bo Trach, Quang Ninh and Le Thuy districts and Dong Hoi city at 04.00am. It caused tidal waves of the Nhat Le coast to rise to 4-5m high, submerging many parts of the province.

Quang Binh has planned to evacuate nearly 1,900 households from the areas vulnerable to severe flooding. But by Saturday afternoon, about 500 households had not yet moved.

After striking the central coast, Typhoon Xangsane moved further inland and weakened a little.

Nguyen Huu Hoai, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee expressed his concern over whether they could ride out the storm, and said the province would try its best to save local people in high-risk areas.

Mr Hoai said army, border guard, police and militia forces have been dispatched to flood-prone areas to help out with the evacuation. About 2,000 life-vests and tents have been distributed.

In Quang Ngai province, heavy rains caused water levels in the Tra Khuc and other big rivers to rise to the first alert level. Power cuts were reported in many places throughout the province at 05.00 am. The local public address systems were out of operation. Thanks to thorough preparations for the mass evacuation, no human losses have been reported so far in the province.    

Meanwhile, high tidal surges are threatening the Hoa Duan sea dyke system in Thuan An district, Thua Thien-Hue province. Local authorities and vanguard forces had to plant stakes and pile up sand bags to prevent sea water from encroaching on the mainland. But in the face of potential salt infiltration, local authorities instructed forces to move people away from the risk areas.

Thua Thien-Hue province has approximately 100 kilometres of sea dykes running through the districts of Phong Dien, Quang Dien to Phu Loc and Phu Vang.

More coming soon…..