~ Le Vięt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

Year :      [2006]      [2005]      [2004]      [2003]      [2002]      [2001]      [2000]      [1999]      [1998]      [1997]

Vietnam struggles to deal with the aftermath of Typhoon Chanchu

More survivors returned to shore Tuesday with scores still missing, leaving families and fishing companies in tatters while government officials visit the scene. A total of 33 Vietnamese fishermen that survived Typhoon Chanchu some 1000km out on the East Sea returned to shore Tuesday afternoon, with more than 200 others still unaccounted for.

Two search and rescue ships carrying the 33 survivors and the bodies of 15 victims arrived at Danang port in central Vietnam at nearly 2pm, where thousands of worried relatives were waiting for news of their loved ones. Deputy Prime Minster Pham Gia Khiem and representatives of the Nation Committee for Searching and Rescue, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention arrived in Danang Tuesday afternoon to meet local health officials and survivors.

On behalf of the Government, Khiem offered his condolences to the families of the Chanchu victims. The deputy PM ordered the Nation Committee for Searching and Rescue and relevant agencies to continue searching the Chanchu missing victims for the next 10 days. Le Huy Ngo of the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention said by Tuesday Vietnam pulled 24 bodies from the sea, of them 15 were brought back to Danang.

Families torn

Tearful family members climbed rooftops and trees to get a glimpse for survivors inside a closed-off area in the port. Tired and sun-scorched survivors were transferred from the port to the Danang General Hospital for health checks, surrounded by grieving relatives. The deceased, after being identified were transported to their native lands for burial. Still two of the 15 bodies have yet to be identified and they are being kept at the city’s main hospital for DNA tests.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Soat said two more naval vessels, HQ 629 and HQ 631, were continuing to search for more storm-battered fishing boats at sea were and another to meet up with five Quang Ngai province-registered ships carrying 21 survivors and the body of a victim. Soat, who is deputy chairman of the Vietnam National Committee for Searching and Rescue, said one more naval ship was escorting two boats of Quang Ngai carrying 27 survivors and three bodies, which are expected to approach the province’s shore Wednesday.

According to the Flood and Storm Prevention Office in the central region, 12 Vietnam boats were confirmed sunk, seven with 169 fishermen from Danang, and five with 43 seafarers from Quang Ngai. In addition, three Danang vessels with 60 people on board and one ship with 21 fishermen from Quang Nam have yet to be contacted or found. Relatives have been waiting for almost a week in Danang, hardest hit in terms of victims, to hear of survivors.

Chanchu, the first and strongest typhoon in the month of May in the region, surprised dozens of Vietnamese ships more than 1,000km from home as it swiftly changed direction. By 5pm Tuesday Thanh Nien newspaper received nearly VND550 million (US$34,440) contributed by readers to support relatives of the Chanchu victims. On Tuesday the newspaper’s office in central region received VND335 million ($20,976), including VND200 million from the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Ores Group and VND100 million from Vietnam Airlines.

by Truong Dien Thang, Huu Tra & The Thinh - Thanh Nien - May 24, 2006.