Typhoon Molave to hit Central Vietnam today
For the past 3 weeks, Central Vietnam has been slammed with storm after storm. Typhoon Molave, also known as Typhoon No. 9, is predicted to hit Quang Nam Province, including Da Nang and Phu Yen.
Estimated to be the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in 2020, Typhoon Molave has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes to seek shelter. Meanwhile, residents of Da Nang and Hue have been told to not leave home until further notice, starting from 8PM today.
Da Nang residents ordered to stay home amid Typhoon Molave
Da Nang residents hurrying to buy life jackets and equipment to reinforce their homes before Typhoon No.9’s arrival
Image credit: Tuoi Tre
To reduce Typhoon Molave’s effect on everyone’s safety, Da Nang authorities have issued stay-at-home orders for Da Nang residents, forbidding them to leave home starting from 8PM today until further notice.
Da Nang residents preparing for the typhoon
Image credit: Thanh Nien
All working people, except for those working in the police force or frontline rescue teams, are not required to go to work tomorrow on 28th October. Students in Quang Nam Province are also requested to stay at home for 2 days as the typhoon lashes the region.
Meanwhile, authorities of Hue, Da Nang’s neighboring city, have also imposed stay-at-home orders on its residents starting from 9PM today.
Image credit: Nguoi Lao Dong
In Quang Nam, 10,000 residents have been evacuated to safer places. Meanwhile, the people who are staying home have been rushing to reinforce their homes against typhoon damage by putting bags of sand and water on their roofs.
Image credit: Nguoi Lao Dong
It’s a common belief among local residents that placing heavy items on a roof can help prevent the roof from being blown away by powerful gusts.
Image credit: Nguoi Lao Dong
Some residents have gone as far as making a ditch in their own homes as a shelter.
Image credit: VGP News
According to the National Center For Hydro – Meterological Forecasting, Typhoon No.9 will be the strongest to hit Vietnam this year, with an average wind speed predicted to reach 135-165KM per hour.
Zalo launches SOS function to help users in Central Vietnam
Image credit: Tuoi Tre
For those in the path of typhoons in Central Vietnam, it’s impossible to get out of the house and go get help amid high waters. Emergency phone lines such as 113 or 115 can get overwhelmed with calls during the storms, making it harder to let people know that you’re in danger and need help.
With this in mind, Zalo, the most popular messaging and calling app among Vietnamese people, has launched a new feature called “SOS” that connects people living in the danger zone.
Image credit: An Ninh Thu Do
This function lets Zalo users send out messages for help from fellow Zalo users, especially first responders and well-prepared volunteers with boats or canoes.
The app has GPS tracking and lets the user type in their name, phone number, and the problems at hand, so civilian volunteers will know about their situation and can begin rescue efforts.
This feature has been launched in the provinces directly affected by Typhoon No.9, such as Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Nghe An, Ha TInh, Quang Binh, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Kontum.
You can download the Zalo app for free here.
Central Vietnam braces for Typhoon Molave
For the past few weeks, Central Vietnam has been hit with a number of storms and typhoons, causing massive rainfalls and extreme flooding across the region. According to Vietnamnet, 130 people have been killed, while 18 have been reported missing to date. These natural disasters have caused great damages to properties, with nearly 1,000 houses in the area destroyed.
Destroyed properties can be rebuilt, and surviving the upcoming typhoon is more important. What the people living in the typhoon zone can do right now is to evacuate if you can, maintain consistent communication with your neighbors and first responders through texting or using the Zalo app, get yourself some flashlights and bottled water, and stay informed of the typhoon status.
Also check out:
- Vietnam’s central cities hit by floods and storms
- UDI MAPS – Saigon Weather App that helps you avoid flood-prone areas
- Da Nang man helps stranger fills gas tank with gasoline
- Vietnamese student unclogs street drainage in the rain
Cover image adapted from: Bao Quang Binh and Vietnamnet
Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more stories like this. If you have a story to share, email us at pressvn@thesmartlocal.com.