Thailand’s northeast braced as Typhoon Noru slams Vietnam
Typhoon Noru slammed into Vietnam today forcing hundreds of thousands of people to take shelter after the country imposed a mandatory curfew. High-rise buildings shook in Danang, as winds have been compared to that of a category five hurricane. Wind speeds were clocked between 103 and 117 kilometres per hour.
According to authorities, almost half of Vietnam’s airports have been shuttered, while schools and businesses followed suit as residents hurried to secure their homes. Earlier this week, Typhoon Noru hit the Philippines, killing at least six people.
Northeast Thailand is bracing for the typhoon as it is expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm before making landfall in the kingdom. The storm is expected to hit by Thursday, after moving across Laos and into Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen tomorrow evening. Officials are warning residents along the Mekong River banks to prepare for surging water levels as the storm can make matters worse in flood-prone areas.
As Noru is expected to reach Bangkok, City Hall announced it has set up a monitoring centre to issue alerts and coordinate efforts to handle emergencies. Residents in Min Buri, Nong Chok and Lat Krabang were told to prepare for flooding as the water discharges from Psak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri could be excessive.
The Thai government has set up a “war room” to closely monitor the impact of Noru, as heavy rain and flooding are expected in almost all areas of the country. The “war room” is tasked with gathering information about the storm, assessing its severity and taking appropriate steps to mitigate its impact. A spokesman for the Meteorological Department warned residents in low-lying areas of the storm’s impact.
“Those residing in low-lying areas should watch out for flash flooding and run-off from higher ground. Local agencies have been ordered to mobilise their resources to ensure they can provide timely assistance to those affected.”
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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