VIETNAM has evacuated tens of thousands of people from coastal areas as a powerful typhoon that left dozens of fishermen missing in the South China Sea slammed into the country. China deployed navy warships and aircraft to search for survivors after three Chinese fishing boats sank in rough waters whipped up by Typhoon Wutip. More than 70 people were missing, Beijing's official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, citing maritime authorities. Vietnam closed schools, ordered all boats ashore and moved some 70,000 people to shelters in vulnerable areas along its central coastline, as high winds and heavy rains uprooted trees and tore the roofs off houses. Wutip made landfall on Vietnam's central coast soon after 5pm (2000 AEST), packing winds of up to 103 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 133km/h, Vietnam's National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre said. Authorities scrambled to move people from areas at risk of landslides and flash floods, as soldiers joined efforts to build walls of sandbags around coastal villages. "We have evacuated thousands of people, prepared vehicles, mobilised 5000 police and soldiers," Nguyen Duc Cuong, a local communist party official in Quang Tri province, told state-run VTV. Torrential rain and strong winds battered neighbouring Quang Nam province, with the popular tourist town of Hoi An also affected by heavy flooding. "This is a big typhoon with strong wind and heavy rain and we urge people to stay overnight in shelters," Nguyen Van Bong, an official in nearby Ky Anh district, told state television. Local authorities will be "on duty around the clock" to ensure the area's reservoirs and vast hydro-electric dams are not damaged or made unsafe by the typhoon, he added. People in central Vietnam said that there were already sporadic power cuts in several districts. Vietnam is hit by an average of eight to 10 tropical storms every year, often causing heavy material and human losses, as well as frequent flooding. In recent weeks floods have killed at least 24 people in Vietnam and claimed 30 lives in Cambodia, as well as 22 in Thailand. Cambodian police said four people - believed to be Syrians, including two children - died late on Sunday when their car was swept away in floodwaters. In China, President Xi Jinping called for an "all-out rescue effort" urging local authorities to "do their utmost to find the missing or stranded and minimise casualties" caused by the typhoon, Xinhua said. Rescue efforts had been hampered by strong gales and high waves, it said. The Chinese boats, which were together carrying 88 fishermen, sank after they attempted to navigate gales near the disputed Paracel Islands, about 330 kilometres (200 miles) from China's southern coast. China's maritime authority on Sunday raised its alert on the typhoon to orange, its second-highest of four levels, Xinhua reported. Storm tides might strike the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi, it added, citing the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre. 74 missing as South China Sea typhoon sinks boats Breaking news Typhoon Wutip Kills at least 3, Injures 35 in Vietnam Tropical Storm Wutip lashes Vietnam's coast Typhoon Wutip wreaks havoc in southeast Asia Typhoon Wutip Leaves at Least 3 Dead in Central Vietnam Typhoon Wutip batters Vietnam Typhoon Wutip strikes down antenna mast, two deaths Wounded fishermen receive treatment in Sanya, China 74 Fishermen Missing after Attack in Xisha Typhoon Wutip: Many missing as Chinese boats sink Typhoon Nesat Hong Kong, Typhoon, Typhoon Vietnam, Typhoons, Typhoon Nesat Damage, Typhoon Nesat, Natural Disasters, Typhoon Nesat Vietnam, Typhoon Nesat China, World News Nesat, Manila Typhoon, The Philippines Typhoon, Video, The Philippines Typhoon Nesat, Manila Typhoon Nesat, The Philippines, The Philipines Flood, Typhoon Nesat, Manila Floods, World News Manila, Typhoons, Typhoon, Philippines Typhoon, Manila Typhoon, Typhoon Nesat, Natural Disasters, World News Typhoon Nesat Hong Kong, Typhoon, Typhoon Vietnam, Typhoons, Typhoon Nesat Damage, Typhoon Nesat, Natural Disasters, Typhoon Nesat Vietnam, Typhoon Nesat China, World News Wupip bão, bão, Việt Nam, cơn bão nhiệt đới Wutip, bão nhiệt đới Wutip Việt Nam, Ts Wutip, bão nhiệt đới Việt Nam, Thế Giới, thiên tai, bão Nesat, bão Nesat Trung Quốc, bão Nesat thiệt hại, bão Nesat Hồng Kông, bão Nesat Việt Nam, cơn bão Việt Nam, cơn bão, cơn bão chìm tàu đánh cá, typhoon Wutip,typhoons,Vietnam,Tropical Storm Wutip, Tropical Storm Wutip Vietnam, Ts Wutip, Vietnam Tropical Storm, World News,Natural Disasters ,Typhoon Nesat , Typhoon Nesat China , Typhoon Nesat Damage , Typhoon Nesat Hong Kong , Typhoon Nesat Vietnam , Typhoon Vietnam , Typhoons ,typhoon sinks fishing boats,Chinese boats sink,South China Sea typhoon,

• published: 01 Oct 2013
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