Central provinces were forecast to experience heavy rainfalls in the next couples of days due to complex weather phenomena. 

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong (standing)
presides over a meeting to discuss responses to complex weather phenomena,
Ha Noi, October 15, 2020 

Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) Mai Van Khiem was quoted as saying that the rest of the seventh tropical storm would last till late October 16 in the North Eastern Region, bringing an average rainfall of 100-150mm in north central Thanh Hoa province and 150-200 mm in northern Quang Ninh province.

Especially, heavy rains are expected in central localities from Ha Tinh to Quang Binh with the average rainfall of 400-700mm, from October 15-20.  

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that  since October 5 Viet Nam has been hit by abnormal weather phenomena, including storms and severe floods. The central region has in a very short period been battered by a number of natural disasters, including the fifth storm (Noul) with prolonged heavy rains, and the sixth (Linfa) and seventh (Nangka) storms.  

The amount of rainfall from October 6 to 13 was estimated from two to six times higher than the normally seen, with 150-400 mm per day in Ha Tinh, 400-500 mm in Quang Binh, 800-1,500 mm in Quang Tri, 1,300-2,000 mm in Thua Thien-Hue, 1,100 mm in Da Nang city, 900-1,200 mm in Quang Nam, and 600-800 mm in Quang Ngai. Rainfall of 180 mm a day is considered heavy.

Given the about situation, Cuong underlined the necessity to provide timely emergency relief and stay well-prepared for possible disasters in order to minimize losses.

Earlier, the Ministry of National Defense deployed 9,607 staffs and soldiers and 267 vehicles to support local residents to prevent and respond the natural disasters. 

The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control asked relevant agencies to provide emergency relief for devastated localities, including 6,500 tons of rice, 20,000 instant noodle packing box, and disinfectant substances.  

Heavy rains had triggered flash floods in northern and central Viet Nam over the past days, leaving 40 dead (including 12 in Quang Tri province, eight in Thua Thien-Hue province, nine in Quang Nam province) and eight missing (three in Quang Tri, one in Thua Thien-Hue, one in Da Nang, two in Quang Nam, and one in Gia Lai). 

The heavy rains and floods destroyed 585 houses; submerged 135,731 houses; 137 portions of national roads; damaged 870 hectares of paddy rice; 5,314 hectares of vegetables; and 3,588 hectares of aquaculture cultivation; killed 332,350 castles and poultries. 

In addition, six vessels with 57 onboard were damaged in which 50 crew members were rescued and seven others were dead or went missing. Four out of 17 fishing vessels were submerged while all fishermen were saved. /.