Hanoi (VNA) – The largest economic hub in southern Vietnam – Ho Chi MinhCity suffered from widespread floods and one person was killed when a treeuprooted in the city as part of consequences of Storm Usagi.
Thestorm, the ninth entering the East Sea this year, landed in coastal areas fromBa Ria-Vung Tau to Ben Tre on November 25, bringing winds measuring 40-60km/h and gustingup to 89-102 km/h along with 150mmof rainfall.
Usagi has weakened into a tropical depression,but it is expect to dump another 200-300mm on November 26, promptingauthorities in HCM City and some other provinces to close school on the day.
TheNorth-South railway service was disrupted as two sections on the route in thecentral province of Ninh Thuan were damaged.
Airlinesalso had to reschedule or cancel many flights to and from localities in theregion affected by the storm on November 24 and 25.
Initialreports from localities said more than 2.6km of dykes were damaged, 46 shipswere sunken, more than 1,000 ha of rice and other food crops were inundated dueto the storm.
The National Centre for Hydro-MeteorologicalForecasting expected the tropical depression to move to the Vietnam– Cambodiaborder by 1 a.m on November 26.-VNA