Tropical storm Koto killed three people and left another missing as it approached Vietnam, authorities said yesterday, as strong winds and high seas buffeted vessels off the country’s flood-hit central coast.
Heavy rains have lashed Vietnam’s middle belt in recent weeks, flooding historic sites and popular holiday destinations and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Authorities ordered boats to shore and diverted dozens of flights as Koto whipped up huge waves and dangerous winds, state media reported.
Two vessels sank in the rough seas, a fishing boat in Khanh Hoa province and a smaller raft in Lam Dong, according to the environment ministry.
It said a total of three people were killed and authorities were still searching for a fourth.
Koto was more than 300km offshore yesterday morning, having been downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm.
The weather bureau said it was moving slowly and is expected to weaken further before colliding with the coast next week.
It forecast rains of up to 150mm tomorrow and Wednesday from Hue to Khanh Hoa – regions that have only just recovered from historic floods. — AFP
