Central Vietnam braces for torrential rain, flooding caused by storm Fengshen

Da Nang is projected to be directly affected by Fengshen, the 12th storm to hit the East Vietnam Sea this year, with rainfall ranging from 600 to 900 millimeters.

Authorities are implementing safety measures across both coastal urban areas and remote mountain communes.

In Tra Linh Commune, police and military forces have begun evacuating dozens of residents from high-risk landslide zones to community centers, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hong Phong, chief of the commune's police agency.

In the mountainous commune of Tra Doc, officials identified 11 potential landslide points and are relocating residents accordingly, while urging households to stock up on food and essential supplies.

In Avuong Commune, local authorities have established rapid-response teams in every village to assist with emergency evacuations and disaster relief, according to Briu Quan, chairman of the commune's administration.

The Da Nang People's Committee has ordered round-the-clock monitoring and emergency readiness.

Residents are advised to elevate belongings, clear household drains, and store at least three days' worth of food and essentials.

According to the city's Civil Defense Steering Committee, up to 210,000 residents may need to be relocated if flooding worsens.

Hue City prepares to move 32,000 people

In neighboring Hue City, officials have identified low-lying and riverside neighborhoods at risk of deep flooding and landslides.

Local authorities are ready to evacuate more than 32,000 residents to safer locations and have instructed schools to convert classrooms into temporary shelters.

By Tuesday, over 1,000 boats with more than 7,600 fishermen had reached safe harbors.

Nearly 5,000 police and soldiers equipped with rescue boats and amphibious vehicles are on standby for disaster response.

Quang Ngai relocates 61 households near cracked mountain slope

In Ba Vinh Commune, Quang Ngai Province, authorities discovered a 100-meter-long, 0.6-meter-wide, one-meter-deep fissure on the Go Oat mountainside, posing a serious landslide threat, said Pham Van Rach, vice-chairman of the commune's administration.

Authorities have evacuated 61 households to community centers in Nuoc Sung and Hoc Do Villages to ensure safety, he added.

Across Quang Ngai, about 6,100 boats with 34,300 fishermen had docked safely as of Tuesday.

However, 309 vessels with 4,080 fishermen remain at sea, including seven boats with 61 crew members still within the storm's danger zone but reportedly moving out of the affected area.

To alert vessels, border guards fired emergency flares along the coast, helping offshore boats locate safe harbors and warning coastal residents to reinforce homes.

Record rainfall expected

Central Vietnam's regional weather agency predicted that from now until next Monday, Da Nang could see 400-700 millimeters of rain, with isolated areas exceeding 900, surpassing the historic 700-millimeter flood in October 2022.

Authorities have deployed 300 small rescue boats across flood-prone zones and urged residents to clear water inlets and roof drains to improve water flow.

A report from the Da Nang Border Guard Command shows 4,148 fishing boats with more than 21,000 workers registered in Da Nang's fleet.

As of Tuesday morning, 168 vessels with 3,567 fishermen were still operating in offshore areas around Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Special Zones.