No human fatalities have been reported, but the roofs of 33 houses in Phu Yen Province were blown off by the Sinlaku storm that hit two central provinces yesterday.

Border patrol forces and volunteers reinforce a damaged sea-dyke in the aftermath of Sinlaku, the fourth storm to hit the country this year.  

The storm flooded a number of provincial routes, damaged 210 hectares of agricultural crops as well as sections of the Dien sea-dyke, the Phu Yen People's Committee reported.

Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control asked the province to step up efforts to warn fisherman to stay close to the shore.

He also told local authorities to provide immediate support to citizens affected by the storm.

Sinlaku also destroyed 50 metres of sea-dykes in Binh Dinh Province.

The province's border patrol force and around hundred volunteers were mobilised to reinforce the dyke with sandbags, and later with stones and concrete, said Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the Binh Dinh People's Committee.

The storm blew away the roofs of a dozen houses in the provinces, uprooted hundreds of trees and inflicted extensive damage on the province's infrastructure, Dung said.

The storm, the fourth to hit the country since the beginning of this year, had weakened into a tropical depression after hitting the south-central coast.

Border soldiers in Quang Ngai Province in co-operation with Ly Son Island District's People's Committee have rescued 11 crew members from a stranded vessel in the district's sea area.

The fishing vessel was grounded while trying to find shelter during a storm three nautical miles from Ly Son Island on Saturday.

On the same day, the Marine Rescue Co-operation Centre Zone 2 took an injured crew member from a vessel to Da Nang City for treatment.

The crew member was suffering from injuries to his left eye after his ship was hit by Storm Sinlaku.

Localities clean up after tropical storm Sinlaku

Locals residents in southern central provinces are cleaning up fallen trees, repairing their houses and damaged sea dykes after storm Sinlaku passed through the localities late November 29.

Phu Yen province reported no casualties thanks to good preparations, but 33 houses collapsed or had their roofs blown off by strong wind and rains, it was reported at a November meeting between Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and local officials.

A sea dyke at Da Dien river mouth was damaged while many local roads were submerged under water, and 210 ha of food crops were inundated.

The province’s officials asked the Government for more investment to upgrade important seawalls and enhance forecast capacity for local hydrometeorological centres.

The minister took note of the requests, while asked the province to give timely assistance to residents in storm-hit areas in overcoming the damages.

Meanwhile, Binh Dinh province reported that a 50m section of the sea dyke in Quy Nhon city was damaged in the storm, while dozens of houses lost their roofs and hundreds of trees fell.

The provincial authorities have mobilized more than 100 young volunteers and soldiers of the border guard force to repair the dyke, which protects hundreds of households in Nhon Ly commune from the sea.

After sweeping through Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces, Sinlaku has weakened into a tropical depression, bringing torrential rains to provinces from Da Nang City to Phu Yen and the northern region of the Tay Nguyen Central Highlands.

VNS/VNN