A local resident repairs his roof after the typhoon swept it away in the central province of Quảng Ngãi's Mộ Đức District. — VNA/VNS Photo Phước Ngọc

HÀ NỘI — At least six people were injured and hundreds of houses were destroyed as Typhoon Matmo barrelled across central and south central provinces from Quảng Ngãi to Khánh Hoà on Wednesday.

Matmo, the fifth typhoon to make landfall from the East Sea this year, also uprooted thousands of trees.

Statistics from Quảng Ngãi Province on Thursday showed that four people were reported injured and nearly 450 houses were destroyed during the typhoon.

Data from the People’s Committee of Bình Định Province said the heavy weather had injured two, collapsed 144 houses and damaged a 2,000-metre stretch of sea defences. The initial damage was estimated at VNĐ400 billion (US$17.3 million), said Hồ Quốc Dũng, chairman of the committee.

In Phú Yên Province, initial statistics said the typhoon had caused a blackout in 72 communes, and only 11 had been reconnected so far.

In Quảng Nam Province, inundation and landslides, triggered by the typhoon, isolated Nam Trà My District with nearby areas.

Weather warnings

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting said the typhoon had weakened into a tropical low-pressure system yesterday morning. By 7am, the system had moved to the east of Cambodia with the highest wind speeds of 40km per hour.

The centre warned that although the typhoon was over, it could still cause torrential rainfall of 150-250mm in central provinces from Quảng Trị to Quảng Ngãi until Friday.

Heavier rains of 200-300mm are forecast to continue hitting Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình between Friday and Saturday.

The centre also said water levels in the Trà Khúc, Vệ, Kôn, Kỳ Lộ and ĐakBla rivers were rising quickly.

Mountainous areas in the provinces of Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Kon Tum and Gia Lai have been put on high alert for flash floods and landslides.

Floods are likely in low-lying and urban areas in the provinces of Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định and Phú Yên.

Remedying the consequences

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng, also head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, chaired an online meeting with the four most-affected provinces of Phú Yên, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định and Khánh Hoà on Thursday morning.

Dũng said although the typhoon’s developments had been informed to relevant units, 70 fishing vessels had broken from their anchors and crashed into each other in Quy Nhơn Port.

He ordered the province to learn from the incident and not ignore the threat of natural disasters.

Dũng also instructed relevant ministries and agencies to support the affected localities.

The localities were told to closely watch the developments of the storm’s circulation and evacuate residents living in areas at high risk of flash floods and landslides, he said.

The National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue is on standby to offer support in emergencies.

Authorities in the affected provinces have mobilised forces to help residents get back to life as normal. — VNS