HÀ NỘI — People evacuated in the Mekong Delta province of Sóc Trăng returned to their homes on Tuesday as Typhoon Tembin weakened into a less powerful tropical depression. 

Sóc Trăng authorities moved about 30,000 local residents to safe places. 

According to Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Trần Văn Chuyện, ferries crossing rivers have resumed operation, while fishing vessels have been asked to wait for local authorities’ permission to go out to sea. 

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Tiến Hải, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cà Mau Province, said that about 82,000 people evacuated from their houses in risky areas also returned home from their shelter yesterday. 

Heavy rains and strong winds were seen in many localities yesterday. Locals were warned not to neglect safety measures to protect themselves and their property. 

At the same time, all agencies, sectors and locals of Bến Tre Province have resumed their normal activities. About 21,000 Bến Tre people were displaced by the storm. 

In the coastal district of Cần Giờ of HCM City, all evacuated people were allowed to return to their homes, but students still had the day off and ships are still not allowed to go to sea.

In Tiền Giang Province, the weather improved on Tuesday, allowing all people to return to their normal lives. 

About 50,000 people in the two coastal districts of Gò Công Đông and Tân Phú Đông were evacuated, while nearly 800 fishing boats were banned from going to sea before Typhoon Tembin, the 16th of its kind in the East Sea this year, approached. 

At 7am on Tuesday, the centre of the low pressure was located in the waters offshore Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau provinces with the strongest wind speed under 40km per hour. 

In the next 12 hours, it will move west, weaken and dissipate. 

The low pressure system is forecast to bring heavy rains along the coast from Bình Định to Phú Yên, creating the risk of flash floods and landslides. — VNS