Storm Pabuk, which strengthened from tropical depression in the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago and became the first tropical storm to form in Vietnamese waters in 2019, has caused damages in Vietnam’s south-western provinces, VnExpress reported.Heavy rains triggered by the storm knocked down many houses in Bac Lieu province. Rains continue to pour down in the southern provinces of Ca Mau and Kien Giang.
Heavy rains triggered by storm Pabuk collapse many houses in Bac Lieu province. Photo: An Nam
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At 1pm on January 4, the storm’s eye was 330km west-southwest of Tho Chu island in Kien Giang province. Wind velocity near the eye reached up to 90km per hour.
In the neighboring Bac Lieu province, downpours and gusty winds triggered by the tropical storm also collapsed 117 houses, causing initial damage estimated at VND5 billion (US$215,625).
The storm made landfall in southern Thailand on January 4 evening. The first tropical storm to hit Thailand in 30 years has left one fisherman dead when his boat capsized off the coast, and officials have warned of torrential downpours, landslides, flash floods and coastal waves up to five meters high.
Over the next 24 hours, the storm continued moving west-northwest at a speed of 15-20km per hour. At 1pm on January 5, its eye was 220km northwest of Thailand’s Phuket province.
The sea area in the southwest of the Gulf of Thailand is experiencing rough waves of up to 5m, while strong winds are seen on the waters from Ca Mau to Kien Giang of Vietnam.
