World Vision Stands Ready as Typhoon Haiyan Changes Course Pushing North

UPDATE 11 Nov. 2013

Typhoon Haiyan Hits Vietnam This Morning, Communities Are Safe

No significant damage is being reported in World Vision working areas in Vietnam after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in northern coastal provinces at 5 am this morning (November 11). In Quang Ninh province, several hundred homes had their roofs blown off. 

“Our initial reports showed both our staff and local communities are safe. Our staff in Hai Phong said only some trees have fallen and rain has stopped in the city,” says Le Van Duong, World Vision Vietnam’s National Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Coordinator. “In Yen Bai Province, staff did not notice any significant impact from the typhoon.” 

Haiyan struck Hai Phong to Quang Ninh provinces with wind speeds up to 88 kph. Ha Long city in Quang Ninh was at the typhoon’s eye. 

Within the next 12 hours, the typhoon will travel north moving 15-20 kph, then enter into China's Guangxi province. By then, the typhoon will have weakened into a tropical depression. 

Rain continues in many provinces in the north. The Government issued warnings about potential landslides and flash floods in some northern mountainous provinces and flooding in lowland areas including Hanoi. All schools in Hanoi are closed today. Roads in the capital city were not as busy as usual as most of shops were closed this morning. 

“To prepare for the typhoon, World Vision worked with communities to reinforce their homes, and encouraged them to stockpile food and water. We also supported evacuations through awareness raising, ensuring that people knew the importance of evacuating when instructed,” adds Duong. 

The country witnessed 13 deaths and another 81 injuries, mostly in the central provinces, as the people were reinforcing their homes or by road accidents before the typhoon. 

After hitting the Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan changed course several times and weakened along the way. Instead of striking Central Vietnam as initially expected, it traveled along coastal central provinces, heading toward Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces in Northern Vietnam.  

More than 150,000 people were evacuated to safer areas in northern Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces by yesterday after the typhoon’s eye was predicted to affect those areas. Today, in areas that are considered low risk of further flooding, people are being allowed to return home.