Bad weather conditions induced by Super Typhoon Saola, the third storm to hit Vietnam this year, has resulted in the suspension of high-speed boat and ferry services from the mainland to Phu Quoc, an island city off the coast of southern Kien Giang Province, starting from this Saturday.

The passenger waterway transport services between the provincial cities of Rach Gia, Ha Tien and Phu Quoc will be suspended until further notice, said Nguyen Xuan Da, head of the provincial Inland Waterway Port Authority.

He noted that high-speed boat rides from Rach Gia City to Hon Son, an island off the province’s Kien Hai District, are operated as normal.

This Mekong Delta province experienced rain and thunderstorms on Saturday morning.

Following the service suspension, holidaymakers who were present at a ferry station in Rach Gia to head to Phu Quoc, a popular island destination in Vietnam, had to return home.

Public employees nationwide are enjoying the four-day holiday that lasts from September 1 to 4 in celebration of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2).

Nguyen Van Hao, a native from Soc Trang Province in the delta, was among tourists affected by the boat service suspension.

Hao told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that his family arrived at the Rach Gia ferry station at around 6:30 am on Saturday to take a high-speed boat trip to Phu Quoc but then had to go back home.

According to the provincial weather center, the impact of Saola plus the powerful southwest monsoon brought downpours and thunderstorms to the waters in Kien Giang, packing gusts of level 7 and tidal waves of some two meters high.

To cope with the impact of Saola, the provincial steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control called on local people to reinforce their houses and take measures to protect their livestock and crops against the tropical storm.

Tourists in the province were told to arrange their sightseeing activities properly to ensure their safety, while fishing boats should seek shelter from the storm, the steering committee said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!