Vietnam: 12 rescued, 18 bodies recovered
Hanoi — At least 18 people have been killed and 12 others have been rescued in a tragic incident during a severe storm in northern Vietnam. According to government officials, dozens of people are still missing, and rescue operations are expected to continue throughout the night.
According to officials, the accident occurred near the country’s famous tourist destination of Ha Long Bay, where heavy rain, thunderstorms, wind and hail affected many boats and other local transportation.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Trinh expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and instructed the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to urgently accelerate search and rescue operations.
A statement released on the official website said the government would conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take strict legal action if any negligence or violation was found.
“The sky turned completely black at around 2am. The rain was accompanied by strong thunder, lightning and hailstones as big as a finger,” local resident Tran Trang Hung told AFP.
The torrential rain also hit the capital Hanoi and the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh. Strong winds toppled trees in Hanoi, while power was out in several areas.
The weather system came as the country was in the grip of a heatwave, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius in some areas.
According to Mai Van Khem, director of the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, the storm was not linked to the effects of Tropical Storm “Faith” in the South China Sea.
Ha Long Bay is considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful places, where millions of domestic and foreign tourists come every year to enjoy the blue waters and lush limestone islands.
This is not the first time that Ha Long Bay has been hit by natural disasters. Last year, strong winds and high waves caused by Typhoon Yagi sank 30 boats in Quang Ninh province.
That same month, a ferry sank near the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 18 people.
