Tropical Storm Mirinae Deluges Central Vietnam With Deaths, Water

Hanoi, Vietnam (AHN) – Officials in Vietnam say the death toll from tropical storm Mirinae has reached at least 14. According to local reports, several towns in Phu Yen and Quang Ngai provinces had been deluged with overflowing rivers, and streets completely submerged by water.

According to published reports, the death toll in Phu Yen alone reached 13. Government officials have yet to confirm the exact number of deaths in the region.

Meteorologist say the storm battered the western region of the country with 82 mph winds and nearly 15 inches of rain when it arrived on shore Monday morning. In its direct line of path were the central provinces of Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai and Khanh Hoa. The government had to send in helicopters to rescue people who were trapped on their roofs. Soldiers manning speedboats conducted rescues to save people from drowning and transported residents to higher and dryer ground.

Reports say that more than 150 homes were destroyed, schools and health facilities had their roofs blown away. According to the Vietnam’s Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control 27 fishing boats were sunk at wharfs.

Further devastating the region economically are the more than 2,224 acres of rice and 2,051 acres of vegetable crop fields either destroyed or flooded. Some 2,000 passengers were left stranded when Vietnam Airlines canceled 34 flights to and from the central region on Monday

By Tuesday morning, the storm weakened to a tropical low pressure zone and was heading west as wind gusts began to diminish.

Mirinae first slammed into the Philippines with typhoon strength over the weekend. Officials say the death toll for the island nation was 20. However, the storm began losing strength as it moved across the South China Sea toward Vietnam.

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