Heavy rain submerges Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island for second time in week
Friday, August 09, 2019, 17:10 GMT+7
Torrential rain has sunk Phu Quoc Island off the southern Vietnamese province of Kien Giang for the second time this week, with thousands of rescuers mobilized to assist local residents around the clock.
It rained non-stop from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning on the island, a popular tourism destination known for its beautiful beaches.
Flooding has occurred in almost all locations across the island, a district administered by Kien Giang Province, as of Friday afternoon, according to Mai Van Huynh, secretary of the Phu Quoc Party Committee.
More than 4,410 houses have been inundated, 3,800 of which are located in Duong Dong Town, where flooding was the most severe, Huynh continued.
Many areas in the town were completely isolated, the official added.
Local authorities have mobilized thousands of military, police, border guard, and coast guard officers to evacuate residents from dangerous zones.
Temporary shelters have been set up at medical centers, schools, offices, and hotels in the neighborhoods that suffer less serious flooding.
“Local officials have canceled all meetings to focus on helping affected residents and dealing with the disaster,” Huynh added.
The people of Phu Quoc have also tried their best to help one another out since Thursday evening.
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| A severely inundated area on Phu Quoc. Photo: Duy Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
Owners of local hotels, tenanted facilities, and restaurants have been posting statuses on Facebook, offering free-of-charge accommodations and meals to the flood-stricken islanders.
Authorities in Phu Quoc are now on high alert as rain is still in the forecast during the upcoming days.
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| A resident struggles to walk on a flooded street. Photo: Van Tien / Tuoi Tre |
As of Friday afternoon, many flights to Phu Quoc operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet have been delayed due to bad weather.
The island was previously devastated by a large-scale flood brought about by heavy rain on Monday.
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| A neighborhood in Cua Duong Commune is isolated by the flooding. Photo: Van Tien / Tuoi Tre |
Over 3,870 houses were submerged, about 10 hectares of crops inundated, and 1,675 chickens killed.
About 16 metric tons of farm-raised fish and ten metric tons of salt were swept away.
Damage was estimated at more than VND68 billion (US$2.9 million), according Secretary Huynh.
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| Authorities evacuate local residents and their assets. Photo: Phi Thuy / Tuoi Tre |
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| Residents evacuate with their belongings. Photo: Duong Ngan / Tuoi Tre |
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| Affected residents are offered free food at a temporary shelter. Photo: Phi Thuy / Tuoi Tre |
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