3-ton whale washed ashore in Central Vietnam
At 5AM on 18th October, a massive whale was spotted on the beach of Tư Hiền, Huế, Central Vietnam.
Patrol officers and fishermen tried to push the whale back into the sea.
Here’s what we’ve learned.
Officers helped beached whale get back to the sea after hours-long rescue
Image credit: Dân Trí
According to Dân Trí, the whale measures 10 meters in length and weighs 3 tons. It was washed ashore by massive wind-blown waves over 4 meters high. According to local residents, this is the first whale to have gotten stranded on Tư Hiền Beach.
Patrol officers and local residents found the whale in an exhausted condition. They worked hard to push the creature back into the sea.
However, the strong waves kept pushing the weakened mammal back ashore.
Image credit: Dân Trí
At 10AM, the whale was finally pushed back into the sea. However, local officers and residents worried that it could be washed back onto the coast at any moment.
The monstrous waves that washed the whale ashore were attributed to the massive rainfall caused by tropical storms that have devastated Central Vietnam lately.
Central Vietnam sees massive rainfall
Image adapted from: Vietnamnet
For the past few weeks, many parts of Central Vietnam such as Quảng Nam, Nghệ An, and Huế have seen massive storms and continuous rainfall. Thousands of people have been evacuated from high-risk areas where flash floods and landslides can happen at any moment, Tuổi Trẻ reported.
In Tây Giang Ward, public infrastructure has been damaged and traffic paralyzed by flash floods. Some people have been reported missing during the harsh weather.
In Huế, the amount of rain water has reached 300-500mm and surpassed the 700mm mark in several places.
Image adapted from: Vietnamnet
According to the local weather forecast, flash floods will continue to rise in the next few days.
Whale washed onto the shore by massive waves
It remains unclear, at the time of writing, whether the unfortunate whale has successfully returned to the sea for good. If it has, we do hope that it can survive against the forceful waves that will continue strongly in the next couple of days.
If you’re living in the path of the storms that are hitting Central Vietnam, evacuate whenever possible and keep your communication lines with local officers open.
Also check out:
- Student drowned while saving friends
- Vietnamese student unclogs street drainage in the rain
- UDI MAPS – Saigon Weather App that helps you avoid flood-prone areas
- Vietnam braces for Typhoon Goni amid ongoing search for landslide victims
- Vietnam’s central cities hit by floods and storms
Cover image adapted from: Dân Trí
Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and LinkedIn for more stories like this. If you have a story to share, email us at pressvn@thesmartlocal.com.
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
