Vietnam braces for Cimaron

2006-10-31 09:40

Hanoi - Vietnam braced for Typhoon Cimaron and planned mass evacuations after the storm slammed the northern Philippines, leaving at least 15 people dead in landslides and flooding, state media reported on Tuesday.

Originally a super typhoon, Cimaron quickly lost strength after slamming ashore in the northeastern Philippine province of Isabela late on Sunday, and cutting across Luzon island on Monday with winds of 120km per hour and gusts of up to 210kph.

Philippine forecasters said that it could intensify over the South China Sea before making landfall along Vietnam's central coast by Saturday morning.

At least 15 people drowned or were killed by falling trees and another 15 were injured in the northern Philippines, local officials reported.

Tuesday's Communist Party newspaper Nhan Dan (People) quoted Vietnamese deputy prime minister Nguyen Sinh Hung as telling disaster officials that evacuation of people from high-risk areas must be completed by Thursday afternoon.

The deputy prime minister also ordered provincial governments to recall fishing boats still operating in the South China Sea and banned other fishing boats from leaving port.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is currently in China, dispatched officials to the central region to direct emergency operations, Nhan Dan said.

Last month's Typhoon Xangsane left 230 people dead and missing as it ripped through Manila and neighboring provinces and later killed 69 people in central Vietnam.

- AP