HANOI: Vietnamese authorities are preparing to suspend operations at four airports in its central provinces as the country braces for Tropical Storm Trami, which has already brought death and destruction to the Philippines.
Trami is set to hit central Vietnam from Saturday to Monday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and potential flooding. The storm development is complicated and will pose high risks to airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said in a statement.
The airports, which include Phu Bai International Airport, will be closed from Sunday morning and reopen later that day or Monday.
Central provinces such as Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, and Ha Tinh are expected to see significant rainfall from Saturday night to late Monday, according to National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Authorities have urged preparations for landslides, news website VnExpress reported.
Trami has claimed at least 70 lives in the Philippines and the country is bracing for a new cyclone and the storms possible return. More than 4.2 million people there have been affected and early estimates place damage to agriculture and infrastructure at 291 million pesos (US$5 million).
Vietnam is still recovering from Super Typhoon Yagi, which battered the countrys northern provinces in September, killing hundreds and wreaking economic damage thats estimated at more than US$3 billion.