Vietnam Set to Evacuate Before Typhoon
Pastor Dale Morgan
Vietnam Set to Evacuate Before Typhoon*
By TRAN VAN MINH
The Associated Press
Friday, September 29, 2006; 10:39 AM
HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnam prepared to evacuate thousands of people from
the central coast Friday as a powerful typhoon approached from the
Philippines, where it killed at least 48 people and left dozens missing.
Typhoon Xangsane was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved
toward the South China Sea, but regained strength, packing winds of 75
mph and gusts of up to 93 mph, the Philippine weather bureau reported.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall in Vietnam on Sunday, with the
eye of the storm likely to hit Danang and the neighboring province of
Quang Ngai, said Bui Minh Tang, director of the country's national
weather forecast center.
"It's as powerful as Typhoon Chanchu," he said, referring to the May
storm that killed 20 Vietnamese fishermen and left more than 250 people
missing.
In the Philippines, financial markets, schools and government offices in
the capital Manila remained closed for a second day Friday since
Xangsane slammed ashore late Wednesday.
Most of the deaths occurred in Laguna province south of Manila where at
least 33 people were killed in landslides and flash floods, provincial
social welfare director Ernesto Montecillo said. Another 29 people were
missing in the same province and more than 70,000 people fled their homes.
Montecillo said portions of the northern and southern slopes of Mount
Makiling eroded, sending mud and boulders down on at least three
hillside shanties, killing 10 people. Rescue workers were still digging
for four other people.
The casualty figures and the number of evacuees were based on partial
reports from 23 of the 30 towns and cities in the province. "The numbers
will surely increase when we get reports from other municipalities,"
Montecillo said.
Among dozens of missing were at least 30 people in General Trias town,
about 25 miles south of Manila. Police officer Quintin Trinidad said
only one body had been recovered.
The entire northern island of Luzon, including Manila, was left without
power on Thursday but electricity was restored to 36 percent of
customers by Friday, the state-run National Transmission Corp. reported.
Chinese state media said the typhoon was likely to skirt Hainan, the
country's southernmost island and a popular tourist destination. Strong
winds and heavy rains were expected, however.
Xangsane, the Laotian word for elephant, is the 10th typhoon this season.
___
Associated Press Writer Oliver Teves contributed to this report from
Manila.