On the afternoon of 29/8, the roads leading into Dien Nam hamlet, Tan Ky commune, Nghe An province were thick with mud after the floodwaters receded. In front of his small one-story house, Nguyen Van Nam was busy pushing mud out of his yard and cleaning waterlogged household items to see if they could be salvaged.

Nam recounted how the water rose rapidly on the night of 27/8, leaving him just enough time to carry his child to a relative's house. Returning the next morning, he found his garden submerged under more than a meter of water, and half of his chickens and ducks were gone. "Knowing that the tropical depression in the East Sea is about to strengthen into a typhoon, I have to elevate my belongings. If I hesitate, I won't be able to react in time when the typhoon hits," Nam said, his eyes fixed on the muddy Con River, more than 300 meters from his house, his anxiety evident.

Tan Ky commune was flooded from the night of 27/8. By the afternoon of 29/8 the water had receded, but some areas remained flooded with 20-30 cm of water. Photo: Duc Hung

Tan Ky commune was flooded from the night of 27/8. By the afternoon of 29/8 the water had receded, but some areas remained flooded with 20-30 cm of water. Photo: Duc Hung

Inside the house, Nam's wife packed salt, cooking oil, dried food, and instant noodles into a plastic container. She also took the opportunity to charge flashlights and cell phones in anticipation of power outages and communication disruptions caused by the approaching storm.

More than 500 meters from Nam's house, the Dien Nam hamlet community center remained surrounded by water due to its low-lying location. The steps were covered in mud, and debris clung to the railings. Having just retrieved belongings stored at relatives' homes, some families living nearby had to move them again, fearing further heavy rain and flooding.

"Currently, the kitchen in my house is flooded up to my knees, making cooking difficult," said Phan Si Ngu, 60. Upon hearing the radio broadcast warning of a new storm, he worried whether his one-story house with its leaky tile roof could withstand the strong winds. Even if it survived the typhoon, Ngu said, it might not withstand subsequent flooding because the walls have been saturated for so long.

Heavy rain starting on the night of 27/8 caused the Con River to swell. In Tan Ky commune, formerly part of Tan Ky district, more than 200 households were flooded, and 26 had to be evacuated. A section of Route 15B through Tan Nam hamlet was submerged under 2 meters of water, forcing people to use small boats for transportation.

Residents of Tan Ky commune move their belongings to higher ground, anticipating further flooding from upcoming rains. Photo: Duc Hung

Residents of Tan Ky commune move their belongings to higher ground, anticipating further flooding from upcoming rains. Photo: Duc Hung

Trinh Huy Toan, Vice Chairman of Tan Ky Commune People's Committee (UBND), said that according to forecasts, the tropical depression, if it intensifies into a typhoon, will not be as strong as Kajiki. However, the prolonged heavy rain following the storm is a major concern. The authorities have urged residents to prepare for "living with floods" and to have plans in place to cope with any weather developments.

On the afternoon of 29/8, Co Dam commune, formerly part of Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province, which was hit by Typhoon Kajiki on 25/8, experienced heavy rain, rough seas, and strong winds.

For the past four days, Nguyen Van Dao, 35, a resident of Co Dam commune and owner of a building materials store, has been hiring people to clear the debris and repair his roof. On the night of 25/8, his store was destroyed by strong winds, with interior goods damaged by collapsed sheet metal and iron, resulting in a loss of approximately 500 million VND.

While repairing his store, Dao heard the news that the tropical depression might strengthen into a typhoon. He and his wife put aside their cleaning efforts to focus on reinforcing the structure. "I bought more cables and re-screwed the trusses. Slightly damaged furniture has been moved to a relative's warehouse and elevated to prevent water damage," he said.

Standing in his building materials store, ravaged by Typhoon Kajiki, Nguyen Van Dao worries that another typhoon will cause further damage, making it difficult for his family to recover. Photo: Duc Hung

Standing in his building materials store, ravaged by Typhoon Kajiki, Nguyen Van Dao worries that another typhoon will cause further damage, making it difficult for his family to recover. Photo: Duc Hung

At Cua Sot port, Loc Ha commune, 82 boats remained anchored after Typhoon Kajiki due to rough seas. Border guards guided fishermen to anchor along the channel, maintaining distance to prevent collisions if the wind changes direction.

"Securing the boat is one thing, but I'm most worried about the building. My house wasn't affected by the last typhoon, but the roof was still impacted. This afternoon, I bought more screws to reinforce the roof and covered the interior walls with tarpaulins to prevent leaks from heavy rain," said Nguyen Van Hai, a resident of Loc Ha commune.

The Ha Tinh provincial Hydrometeorological Station forecasts heavy to very heavy rain from the evening of 29/8 to 31/8, with rainfall totals of 150-350 mm, and some areas exceeding 500 mm. River levels are expected to rise, posing a high risk of flooding in urban areas and along riverbanks.

In response, on the morning of 29/8, the Southern Ha Tinh Irrigation Company opened the spillway of Ke Go Lake at a flow rate of 90 m3/second to gradually lower the water level in anticipation of new floods. Larger reservoirs such as Song Rac (releasing 110 m3/second), Boc Nguyen (20 m3/second), and Da Han (40 m3/second) are being regulated, and many medium and small reservoirs are overflowing naturally.

"After the heavy rains from Typhoon Kajiki, most reservoirs are full, so early and proactive discharge is crucial to reduce pressure downstream," said a leader of the Southern Ha Tinh Irrigation Company. Today, Ha Tinh province also issued a directive requiring local authorities to maintain a 24-hour watch at bridges and fords, preventing people from crossing when water levels rise. They are also instructed to identify areas at risk of landslides and prepare evacuation plans.

Overview of Typhoon Kajiki. Video: Reporter Team

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that on the afternoon of 29/8, the tropical depression was located in the Paracel Islands area, about 450 km from Hue city, with winds of level 7, gusting to level 9. It is moving northwest at 20-25 km/h and has the potential to strengthen into a typhoon tonight, with maximum winds of level 8. By the early morning of 30/8, the typhoon is expected to be in the central region's waters, with gusts up to level 10, before making landfall between Nghe An and Hue. By the early morning of 31/8, the typhoon is predicted to weaken into a tropical depression over central Laos, with winds below level 6.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been five typhoons in the East Sea. Most recently, on 26/8, Typhoon Kajiki made landfall between Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh with winds of level 10-11, gusting to level 13, causing significant damage in north-central Vietnam. Northern Vietnam also experienced heavy rain, leading to flooding and landslides. As of 29/8, the storms have resulted in six deaths, two missing persons, and 47 injuries. Over 31,000 houses have been damaged, collapsed, or flooded, mainly in Ha Tinh. Hundreds of schools, offices, and medical facilities have been damaged, and over 1.6 million households have experienced power outages.

Duc Hung

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