Ha Tinh’s Department of Construction officials said the decision to close the Cua Hoi bridge was made due to Typhoon Kajiki’s projected direct impact on Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Only authorized vehicles involved in disaster response were permitted to cross.

The Cua Hoi bridge connects Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. Photo: Duc Hung

The department required 478 Joint Stock Company, the bridge’s management company, to deploy personnel for early warning and traffic control at both ends of the bridge, strictly prohibiting people and vehicles from crossing during hazardous weather.

The 5.2 km Cua Hoi bridge spans the Lam River, connecting Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. With a total investment of 950 billion VND, the main section extends over 1.7 km and opened to traffic on 14/3/2021.

Ha Tinh Automotive Transport Joint Stock Company announced the suspension of all bus routes in the area at 8:30 a.m. on 25/8 for passenger safety.

Passengers on a bus in Ha Tinh. Photo: Duc Hung

According to Ha Tinh province’s Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue, before Typhoon Kajiki’s landfall, coastal areas and regions at risk of flooding and landslides in Ha Tinh evacuated nearly 4,967 households, comprising almost 13,000 residents, to safety.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that at 4 a.m. on 24/8, Typhoon Kajiki, with sustained winds of 166 km/h (category 14, gusts up to category 17), was approximately 220 km from Nghe An, 200 km from Ha Tinh, and 180 km from northern Quang Tri. By 4 p.m., the typhoon maintained its intensity, moving west-northwest at 20 km/h, approaching the Thanh Hoa - Quang Tri coastal region before making landfall in the Thanh Hoa - Nghe An area. By tomorrow morning, the typhoon’s center is expected to be over central Laos, weakening to category 8 with gusts up to category 10, and subsequently dissipating into a tropical depression.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the typhoon could reach 162 km/h near the coast, while the Hong Kong Observatory predicted 155 km/h upon reaching Thanh Hoa - Nghe An.

Duc Hung