VietNamNet Bridge - At least 27 people were reported dead or missing while hundreds were injured after tropical storm Haima hit the Red River Delta in Vietnam on June 24.

The storm, the second to hit Vietnam this year, weakened into a tropical depression before making landfall in the southern area of the delta, causing strong winds and heavy rain on islands and in coastal areas from Quang Ninh Province to Hai Phong City.

Rainfalls were measured at 40 to 70 millimeters in most areas while some places in Hanoi, Haiphong and Thanh Hoa saw levels rising to 230 to 320 millimeters on June 24 morning.

According to the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the storm also sank many boats, destroyed thousands of homes and a vast area of crops.

Hai Phong reported seven deaths in the districts of Thuy Nguyen, An Duong, Tien Lang and An Lao, while over 200 people in Thuy Nguyen were injured and 16 houses were completely destroyed. The natural disaster also claimed three lives in Nam Dinh Province.

Thanh Hoa Province reported ten missing people on a fishing boat and three people were swept away by floodwaters in Yen Bai Province. Landslides struck Vi Xuyen District in Ha Giang Province after heavy downpours, killing an iron miner while he was seeking shelter from the rain.

Meanwhile, traffic in Hanoi turned chaotic as many streets were submerged by heavy rain. To cope with the storm, local authorities were preparing to evacuate people from low-lying areas to higher ground to avoid landslides. The capital on June 25 mobilized 2,000 pumps to protect crops and vegetables.

Hai Phong authorities gave VND10 million ($500) in financial support to families whose relatives died in the storm, VND3 million to seriously injured people and VND1 million to other injured residents. Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh on June 25 ordered residents to harvest their rice crops immediately to avoid further losses.

Hai Phong’s agriculture department said it harvested 22,000 hectares of rice while border police of Thai Binh Province reported that 1,400 boats and 3,850 fishermen had sought shelter in safe places in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

PV