Latest news with #Bernama-VNA
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Barnama
Typhoon Wipha: Vietnam deploys Over 346,000 Soldiers, 8,200 Vehicles
HANOI, July 22 (Bernama-VNA) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Defence on Monday mobilised 346,210 officers and soldiers, along with 8,200 various vehicles, including five aircraft, in response to Typhoon Wipha, which is nearing Vietnam's mainland, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing the National Steering Committee for Civil Defence. Regarding the monitoring of fishing vessels, the Border Guard forces of localities from Quang Ninh to Dak Lak coordinated with local authorities and the families of ship owners to report, count, and guide 54,300 vehicles with 227,194 people on board, informing them of the storm's developments and path so they could proactively move to a safer area. Following the July 20 official dispatch of the Prime Minister and the July 21 official dispatch of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) regarding the proactive response to Typhoon Wipha, the third storm to enter the East Sea, the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff of the VPA has urged military units to maintain strict duty protocols.
The Star
20 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Boy's body recovered by rescuers, death toll in Vietnam's Ha Long boat tragedy hits 36
QUANG NINH, Vietnam (Bernama-VNA): Rescue teams on Monday morning recovered the body of a six-year-old boy, one of the last four remaining victims unaccounted for following the tragic capsizing of the Vinh Xanh 58 tourist boat on July 19 in Ha Long Bay, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh. Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported the provincial People's Committee said the boy's body was found near Ti Top Island during an expanded search operation. The child had been travelling with his family as part of an eight-member group. His mother and two other relatives died in the incident. After the body was brought ashore, it was transferred to a medical facility for necessary post-mortem procedures. So far, the maritime disaster has claimed the lives of 36 people, with 10 survivors rescued and three individuals still missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing under difficult conditions, as Quang Ninh also braces for the arrival of Typhoon Wipha, the third of its kind to enter East Sea so far this year. Vinh Xanh 58, registration number QN-7105, departed from the Ha Long International Passenger Port in Bai Chay ward at around 1:30pm on July 19 with 49 people on board, including 46 passengers and three crew members. It was en route along Tour Route 2 of Ha Long Bay when it was hit by a sudden, violent thunderstorm near Dau Go Cave. The storm capsized the boat within a few minutes, plunging dozens of passengers into the sea. Emergency response teams and local residents quickly mobilised in a race to rescue survivors. Authorities continue to expand the search radius and deploy drones and divers as they work urgently to find the remaining missing individuals. - Bernama-VNA
The Star
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Typhoon Wipha barrels toward Vietnam, sparks response in coastal hotspots
QUANG NINH, Vietnam (Bernama-VNA): Typhoon Wipha is closing in on northern Vietnam, with its erratic path prompting urgent preparations in Quang Ninh province and the port city of Hai Phong to safeguard residents, infrastructure, and economic assets ahead of an anticipated landfall. According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA), in Quang Ninh, locals are reinforcing rooftops, securing aquaculture rafts, and steering fishing vessels to safe harbours. Tourist boats have been relocated to designated storm shelters to shield visitors and operators. Competent forces have issued an urgent directive suspending departure permits for passenger boats in the province. In Hai Phong, a bustling coastal city, authorities activated a full-scale storm response by 1pm on Sunday (July 20), coordinating across agencies, communes, wards, and special economic zones. The municipal People's Committee said it had deployed emergency plans by 6pm on Saturday (July 19), tailored to each area's risk levels. The city has herded 1,657 vessels with 4,668 crew members to safe anchorages and issued warnings to nearly 9,900 aquaculture cages and over 16,000 tourists on Cat Ba Island, including roughly 2,500 foreigners. All vessels remain in communication with authorities, with none stuck in the storm's danger zone, the committee reported. Within Hai Phong's maritime zone, 71 ships carrying 690 crew members are safely anchored. Evacuation plans are ready for low-lying, coastal, and riverside areas across 114 communes, wards, and special zones. Inspectors checked 180 old apartment blocks, tagging 59 as Grade D, the highest risk level for structural failure. To fend off strong winds, the city has chopped and shored up urban trees to stop branches from smashing traffic, power lines, or wrecking construction sites. - Bernama-VNA
Barnama
2 days ago
- Climate
- Barnama
Sudden Thunderstorm Capsizes Tourist Boat In Ha Long Bay: Hydro-Meteorological Centre
HANOI, July 20 (Bernama-VNA) -- A powerful line of thunderstorms tore through northern Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin on July 19 afternoon, unleashing torrential rain, lightning, and fierce winds that culminated in a tragic capsizing of a tourist boat in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing officials. The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting attributed the extreme weather to a convergence zone sweeping through the region, which, combined with three days of scorching temperatures, created unstable atmospheric conditions ripe for severe storms. Meteorologists classified the event as a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS), a sprawling complex of thunderstorms that can span hundreds of km and persist for up to 24 hours. The system brought heavy downpours, lightning, strong gusts, and scattered whirlwinds to the region. bootstrap slideshow The provincial hydro-meteorological station had been tracking the developing weather system, issuing warnings based on real-time radar data. Specifically, upon detecting developing convective clouds, the station issued two warnings at 11:45 am and 1:30 pm on July 19. The second bulletin warned of showers and thunderstorms affecting areas including Ha Long ward, a popular tourist destination. According to an urgent report from the provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue, a tourist boat, QN7105, carrying 48 passengers and five crew members, capsized around 3 pm on July 19 after being battered by a sudden whirlwind and thunderstorm. The incident occurred between Hon Ga Choi (Fighting Cock Islet) and Bai Tho mountain, roughly three nautical miles from shore. A total of 47 people have been recovered, with ten survivors and 37 confirmed dead, including four victims whose identities are still being verified. The search continues amid challenging conditions. The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting anticipated turbulent weather, with a marine bulletin issued at 4:30 am on July 19 forecasting scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Gulf of Tonkin by nightfall, along with the potential for whirlwinds and gusty winds. An extended-range forecast issued on July 18 afternoon had also warned of light rain during the day and thunderstorms at night along the Bai Chay coastal area, including Ha Long Bay, with the possibility of rough seas. Looking ahead, the centre predicted continued showers and thunderstorms across the Gulf of Tonkin and northern and central of the East Sea, including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, starting on July 20. The northern part of the northern East Sea is expected to face particularly severe conditions, with heavy rainfall and strong winds forecast. -- BERNAMA-VNA
The Star
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Vietnamese authorities crack down on unsafe tourism jeeps and UAZ vehicles to ensure tourists' safety
Image from Vietnam News/ANN HANOI (Bernama-VNA): The Vietnamese National Traffic Safety Committee has called on provincial and municipal Traffic Safety Boards to review and strictly handle violations involving Jeep and UAZ vehicles that do not meet safety regulations or legal requirements for passenger transport services. According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA), in a directive signed on Thursday (July 17), Standing Vice Chairman Le Kim Thanh noted that in several tourist destinations, outdated Jeep and UAZ vehicles have been operating without transport permits, service markings, or proper business registration. Despite lacking these credentials, many are used to carry paying passengers, raising serious safety concerns. To ensure compliance with traffic regulations and protect tourists, the committee requested that Hanoi and Lam Dong, the two localities with growing numbers of such services, direct their Departments of Construction and relevant agencies to inspect and strictly handle these unauthorised operations. This includes vehicles that have not converted their licence plates for commercial use or obtained mandatory signage. The committee also called on local Traffic Safety Boards nationwide to strengthen enforcement efforts, raise public awareness of passenger transport regulations, and crack down on vehicles operating without the required conditions, particularly older Jeep and UAZ models, which pose heightened safety risks. In addition, the Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism were asked to review traffic safety practices at tourism service providers offering Jeep tours. Earlier media reported that in central Hanoi, old military-style vehicles such as UAZ, Gaz69, and Jeeps, which are often modified for sightseeing, are commonly seen transporting foreign tourists. Many of these vehicles, decades old, carry more passengers than allowed, with temporary seats and unsafe structural modifications, posing serious dangers as they navigate crowded urban streets. -- Bernama-VNA
