Storm Noru near Da Nang, injures 10 people

Residents of Binh Dong Commune in the province’s Binh Son District have taken refuge in the storm shelter of the Hoa Phat Steel Factory. This area can accommodate 6,000 people.

Quang Ngai people at an evacuation shelter. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Linh

Quang Ngai has relocated and evacuated 10,000 people so far, of which about 5,000 people are from coastal districts. Each coastal commune in the province has around two storm shelters.

A boy reaches a storm shelter with his family in Quang Ngai Province. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Linh

The Steering Committee for storm threatened localties has reported that provinces from Quang Tri to Binh Dinh have evacuated more than 81,000 households with 253,000 people (71%). Besides them, nearly 4,800 tourists in provinces and cities from Thua Thien Hue to Binh Dinh have been informed about the storm and are staying at tourist facilities to ensure their safety.

Tourists on Ly Son and Cu Lao Cham islands have moved to the mainland to shelter from the approaching storm.

A Hoa Vang District policeman helps an old lady to evacuate. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

Border guard forces from 10 localities from Ha Tinh to Binh Thuan have been dispatched, sending 2,600 soldiers and 55 vehicles to help citizens. They have fortified 2,100 houses and 24 schools, and evacuated 23,000 people to safety and brought 2,400 vessels to safety.

Soldiers and local authorities have persuaded fishermen to move onto shore before the storm hits. Forces from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan have instructed 57,800 vessels to move away from danger zones. There are now around 5,100 ships with 36,800 people moving back to the shore.

On Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister and other officials have flown from Hanoi and Quang Tri to monitor storm-fighting efforts.

Border guard forces of the Cang Cua Viet border gate in Quang Tri Province help people move belongings out of collapsed houses. Photo courtesy of boder guard forces

Over 70,000 people in Da Nang and Quang Ngai were evacuated to safety.

The Thuan Phuoc Bridge of the city has been closed down due to severe impacts of the storm, while the roads leading to the Son Tra Peninsula have been closed down as well. People are banned from swimming at sea, and no one is allowed out on the street starting 8 p.m.

Strong winds have already brought down a row of fake orchids on Dien Bien Phu Street, as well as felling trees on Ngo Phuoc Lan Street.

Shops on Nguyen Van Linh and Bach Dang streets of Hai Chau District could be seen using containers and container trucks to block their front doors against the winds.

Strong winds and rough seas are observed in Thua Thien-Hue. High waves breached coastal revetments in Hue’s Hai Duong Commune, smashing into the Thuan An Hai Duong Bridge, which costs VND1.2 trillion ($50.5 million). 200 construction workers of the bridge have sought shelter at the Thai Duong primary school, around 200 m away.

Local police and militia forces have been stationed at the Huong Giang Village overnight to support people once the storm arrives. People in dilapidated houses are evacuated to sturdier houses and houses in higher areas.

In its Hue Town, local authorities have evacuated over 2,500 families with 9,500 people in vulnerable areas, as well as helping fortify 1,096 houses and bringing 421 vessels to safety.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said there were three vessels with 20 people from Binh Dinh still in the danger zone. They are currently making their way out of harm’s way.

Over 70,000 people in Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh have been evacuated to safety.

Rain levels from 7 p.m. Monday to 1 p.m. Tuesday in Quang Tri were between 50-100 mm, while localities from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Nam, as well as the Central Highlands, recorded rain levels between 20-30 mm.

Areas from Da Nang to Quang Ngai Province, forecast to be the hardest hit by Storm Noru, received heavy downpours and strong winds from Tuesday afternoon.

Torrential rains poured in Da Nang from 1 p.m. Few people were seen on the streets. People have come home early from work while all wet markets have been closed.

Strong winds were recorded in the southern part of Son Tra Peninsula, the first place to be hit by Storm Noru in Da Nang.

Waves four to five meters high could be seen along the coast from Da Nang to Quang Ngai.

High waves in Ly Son Island off Quang Ngai Province, September 27, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Chi Tam

People in Ly Son Island of Quang Ngai Province are evacuated to safer places on September 27, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Linh

Quang Nam Province has let all workers leave their office from Tuesday noon.

Nguyen Van Phuong, chairman of Thua Thien-Hue Province, have ordered all wet markets to stop operation from 3 p.m. on Tuesday while industrial parks must have workers to stay for Tuesday night.

In Binh Dinh Province, militiamen have been sent over to help local people reinforce their houses, including placed sandbags on the roof.

The provincial chairman Pham Anh Tuan said “this is a strong storm with an unpredictable route and therefore, we are not to let our guard down.”

Phu Yen Province has ordered farmers to remove all of their seafood farming rafts to safety before 4 p.m.