Central Vietnam Coast Hit by Stormy Weather, Fishing Boat Sinks, Residents Evacuated

A fishing boat, TTH-30115-TS, measuring 9 meters in length and owned by Mr. Ha Ngoanh, 41, capsized on the afternoon of September 12th while moored at the Thuan An fishing port in Hue City. The incident occurred due to high waves and strong winds battering the central coast, a region currently experiencing adverse weather conditions linked to an approaching low-pressure system. Following the capsize, the Thuan An Port Border Guard Post, in coordination with other functional forces and local residents, initiated salvage operations for fishing gear and the vessel. However, due to the severe weather, the boat has been temporarily secured to prevent drifting, with plans for a full salvage operation to commence once conditions improve. The estimated damages from the incident are approximately VND 250 million (around $10,000 USD). Reports from the Thuan An beach area describe large waves impacting the breakwater of a coastal erosion control project. According to Mr. Le Dinh Phong, Chairman of the Thuan An Ward People's Committee, all vessels in the locality have been instructed to seek safe mooring, and coastal service businesses have closed their operations as of the afternoon of September 12th. Rescue teams are on standby at the Thuan An beach, actively monitoring and patrolling to prevent residents and tourists from approaching dangerous areas near the shoreline. "Our primary task is to continuously warn and remind people and tourists to stay away from hazardous zones during this period of bad weather to ensure their safety," stated Mr. Phong, emphasizing the priority placed on human life. The low-pressure system, which intensified into a tropical depression on the morning of September 12th over the waters southwest of the Paracel Islands, is forecast to bring heavy rainfall to provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai. Source: The Saigon Times