Central Vietnam hotels offer free shelter as storm Noru bears

Several people in Quang Ngai’s Binh Hai Commune have been taking blankets, clothes, food and raincoats to the Chien Canh hotel in Phuoc Thien Village since Tuesday noon to shelter from the typhoon.

Tran Thi Song, 58, whose house is just 100 meters away, went to the hotel with her family of six at 12:30 p.m. The family lives in a dilapidated house, and despite having fortified it with sand bags, they were still worried. Their home had been damaged by storm Molaves in 2020.

When Song saw on social media that the hotel was providing free accommodation ahead of the storm, she signed up for a spot.

“The hotel owner hasn’t been here for long, but he’s kind,” she said.

Le Chien, the hotel owner, sad natural disasters are tough on everyone, so he invited people to come to his hotel for shelter. He also prepared a generator in case of blackouts, but reminded people to bring their own chargers and flashlights.

Chien’s wife, Nguyen Thi Canh, said she had prepared around VND10 million ($421) worth of essential items for the community.

“People can cook in our kitchen on the first floor,” she said, adding that when her family used to live in Binh Thuan Commune, about 2km away, they had let in people seeking shelter from storms.

The same day, authorities evacuated residents of coastal regions in Quang Ngai, including Binh Hai Commune, to safer areas. Besides public buildings and facilities, people were also advised to take shelter in sturdy houses in their neighborhoods.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Quang Ngai had evacuated around 10,000 people, half of them residents of coastal districts.

People come to the Santori Hotel & Spa Da Nang to seek shelter, September 27, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Nam Em

The Santori Hotel & Spa Da Nang in Son Tra District is also providing free accommodation in 10 rooms Tuesday and Wednesday to those forced to stay back in the central city by storm Noru.

Nguyen Son Tung, the hotel owner, had said that 18 other vacant hotel rooms would be used to provide free shelter for people living in dilapidated houses and students in the area. By Tuesday afternoon, all the rooms were full.

Tung said storms and floods are events no one wants. Since many guests had booked rooms in the hotel but could not occupy them because their flights were canceled, the hotel was using them as shelters, he added.

“The storm is progressing in a very complicated manner. I cannot let my guests check out and go to a different hotel amid a storm, that would be dangerous,” he said, adding that the hotel would not collect any fees from those who stay.

Nguyen Minh Thuy, a tourist who traveled from Tay Ninh to Da Nang, said she was grateful and impressed by the hotel owner’s actions. Huynh Thuan, from Ho Ch Minh City, said the hotel told him about the free accommodation policy as soon as he checked in.

“Hotel employees also told me not to go out to ensure my safety. I was on a business trip and unlucky that I have to face a storm, but lucky to receive not only support, but kindness,” Thuan said.