Firefighters dealing with a fallen power pole in Đà Nẵng City Wednesday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Super typhoon Noru weakened into a tropical depression after entering the central region of Việt Nam Tuesday night, damaging houses and uprooting trees.

According to initial reports, there has been no fatalities.

As of 10am on Wednesday, five people were injured in Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế provinces. Three houses collapsed in these two localities.

An unrooted tree in Bình Sơn District, Quảng Ngãi Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

As many as 157 house roofs including 118 in Quảng Trị were damaged and more than 9,400 power stations and 15 communes had blackouts. Power has since been restored at 535 stations.

More than 500 trees were uprooted in the region.

On Lý Sơn Island in Quảng Ngãi Province, which was hit hard by the typhoon, 70ha of vegetables were completely damaged and 30ha of cultivation land was inundated with water.

The system of roads in the southeast of the island was damaged by rising seawater, causing traffic jams.

A temporary bridge made of iron was swept away by floods in Vĩnh Ô Commune, Vĩnh Linh District, Quảng Trị Province on Wednesday morning. The collapse of the bridge which connects two villages put isolated almost 1,400 people.

According to Việt Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, on Wednesday morning, typhoon Noru was moving to the west, heading to southern Laos, weakening into a tropical depression, then continued to delve into a low-pressure system and gradually dissipated.

Floodwater rising in Quảng Nam Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

It is predicted to continuously cause torrential rain, flash floods and landslides in central and Central Highlands regions from Wednesday till Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành inspected the sea ​​embankment section in Phú Thuận Commune, Phú Vang District, central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province on Wednesday morning and visited evacuated local people in Thuận An Ward, Huế City.

He ordered local authorities to inspect households in risky areas, damaged houses and help stabilise local livelihoods.

He said although the typhoon is weakening, there is still a chance of losses, asking localities to consider traffic and reservoir levels before making the decision to reopen schools.

Military officers help fix the damaged roofs of people's houses in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Tường Vi

Deputy PM Thành said local authorities had made good preparations and responded actively to the typhoon.

No loss of lives shows success in the response work, he said.

Chairing a meeting to withdraw experience from typhoon Noru’s response on Wednesday morning, PM Phạm Minh Chính said the active response of local police, military forces and media had helped minimise human and property losses.

He ordered local authorities to take measures to deal with the typhoon’s aftermath and support those affected.

He asked the authorities to soon reopen schools after the typhoon and not leave any residents to live in poverty and homeless, at the same time, ensure there is no spread of any diseases after the typhoon.

He told the Ministry of Finance to distribute cash and rice to localities in need.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the electricity sector have been asked to restore power blackouts to resume production.

The Cabinet leader pointed out lessons learned from typhoon response including closely following up on the typhoon’s development, calling for the participation of all social forces, especially evacuation, “which is a decisive factor to avoid human loss,” he said. — VNS

Police officers clearing up fallen trees in Quảng Ngãi Province. — VNA/VNS Photo