Due to the impact of Storm No. 15 (Koto), authorities in Lam Dong Province have issued a ban on all fishing and transport vessels heading out to sea. The storm's powerful waves have already led to the disappearance of a fisherman in Lien Huong Commune.

Speaking to VietNamNet around noon on November 28, Nguyen Truong Sa, Chairman of the Lien Huong Commune People’s Committee, confirmed that local forces are urgently searching for Duong Quang S., 40, who went missing at sea.

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Local authorities in Lien Huong help residents move belongings to safer areas.

On the afternoon of November 27, Mr. S. and 33-year-old Hung Vu were rowing a coracle to retrieve anchors at Lien Huong Port when their boat was overturned by rough waves. Mr. Vu managed to swim back to shore, but Mr. S. was swept away by the current.

According to Mr. Sa, Koto’s waves pounded the coastal barriers of Hamlets 13 and 14 in Lien Huong, causing water to surge over 1 meter deep into residential areas. Overnight, local authorities helped residents evacuate their belongings to safer ground.

At Phu Quy Special Economic Zone, waves reaching 4–5 meters have threatened coastal areas, forcing dozens of tourism operators to evacuate immediately.

In the early morning of November 28, Phu Quy Special Zone police assisted locals in moving their belongings and assets out of danger zones.

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Police in Phu Quy assist locals in evacuating assets on the morning of November 28.

Given the storm’s increasing severity, Lam Dong’s Provincial People’s Committee issued an urgent directive. Effective from 7 a.m. on November 28, the province has banned all fishing vessels, tourism boats, and marine transport operations.

Local authorities were also instructed to prepare evacuation plans for people in low-lying areas, along rivers and streams, and in aquaculture zones. Officials were ordered to ensure the safety of dams and dykes.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 10 a.m. on November 28, the strongest winds near the center of storm Koto were at level 10 (89–102 km/h), with gusts reaching level 13 (134–149 km/h).

The storm is forecast to move slowly west-southwest in the coming days and gradually weaken.

Quang Hung