logo
Survivors recount how sudden storm drowned dozens in seconds in Vietnam

Survivors recount how sudden storm drowned dozens in seconds in Vietnam

HALONG: The thunderstorm came so suddenly that it overturned the boat within seconds, said two survivors of the shipwreck which killed at least 35 people in Vietnam's top tourist spot of Halong Bay and left another four missing.
"It had been raining for 15 minutes, then there was a thunderstorm ... and a huge wave that all of a sudden capsized the boat," said Nguyen Hong Quan, one of 10 survivors of the accident, which happened early on Saturday afternoon.
"It took only a few seconds," he told Reuters on Monday, recalling one of the worst accidents in recent years to hit the Unesco-protected archipelago, which consists of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi.
Of the 49 people that Vietnam's government said were on the boat, four are still missing.
Weather conditions are expected to worsen in the coming hours with the landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which skirted the southern Chinese coast over the weekend causing flash floods and landslides.
Authorities were verifying on Monday whether a body found on an islet in the bay was one of the missing people from the accident, according to local media.
The thunderstorm hit large parts of northern Vietnam on Saturday, turning the sky dark in a matter of minutes, with sudden downpours and strong winds felling trees in the capital of Hanoi and temporarily disrupting air travel at the Noi Bai international airport.
Quan, a 40-year-old tourist, said he drifted for about three hours on a wooden chair from the sunken boat before a fishing vessel finally rescued him.
Hanging on the chair together with him were another two people, only one of whom survived.
"One of them was too tired and couldn't hold any longer. What a tragedy," he said.
His account matches that from the second person who survived by holding onto the chair.
"The waves were so strong. One of the other two was too tired and said goodbye to us," Vu Anh Tu, a 25-year-old member of the crew, told Reuters.
He also recalled how the storm hit the boat so suddenly, causing it to overturn "in 15 seconds."
"There was so much loss, including children," he said, confirming reports from authorities that several minors were also on the sunken vessel.
"I don't know if I'll ever work on a boat again," Tu said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Heavy downpours and flooding from storm Wipha kill three in Vietnam; thousands of people evacuated
Heavy downpours and flooding from storm Wipha kill three in Vietnam; thousands of people evacuated

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Heavy downpours and flooding from storm Wipha kill three in Vietnam; thousands of people evacuated

A view of Halong Bay is seen as Tropical Storm Wipha approaches, in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam, July 22, 2025. -- Photo: REUTERS/Thinh Nguyen HANOI (AFP): Three people have been killed and another is missing in torrential downpours over Vietnam from Tropical Storm Wipha, authorities said Thursday, while nearly 4,000 homes were flooded by deluges. Around 12,500 people were evacuated before the storm's landfall on Tuesday, when heavy rains and winds began lashing the country's north and central belt. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said three people were killed in flash floods and landslides in central Nghe An province, while one person remained missing and five more were injured. Nationwide, more than 3,800 houses have been flooded -- several over their rooftops -- while nearly 95,000 hectares of crops were submerged and destroyed, according to the report. Mountainous Nghe An province was evacuated of thousands of people on Wednesday night as rivers and reservoirs overflowed and inundated local communities, state media said. Last week, Wipha killed at least six people in the Philippines, where tens of thousands were forced from their homes and it flooded parts of the capital Manila. Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely. A sudden whirlwind and abnormal weather pattern overturned a tourist boat in Vietnam's UNESCO area of Ha Long Bay on Friday, killing 37 people, including several children. And in September 2024, Typhoon Yagi devastated northern Vietnam, leaving 345 people dead and causing an estimated economic loss of US$3.3 billion. - AFO

Trove for souvenir hunters
Trove for souvenir hunters

The Star

time6 hours ago

  • The Star

Trove for souvenir hunters

Varieties of handicraft, mementoes of Malaysia and colourful paper lanterns (below) are among goods shoppers can find at Petaling street in Kuala lumpur's Chinatown. CHINATOWN is one of the top tourist sites in Kuala Lumpur, with its history and new attractions. Its temples, charming shophouses and old-school shops selling every­thing from household goods to Chinese brushes and baskets, are a major draw for visitors during the day, while the area's nightlife attract a different crowd. Key chains being put on display at a stall inside Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star Tourists can pick up souvenirs as well as some bargains along Petaling Street. Among the many items that can be found there are Malaysia-themed clothing, tote bags, fridge magnets, postcards and seasonal lanterns which will make good trip mementoes. Then there are scores of traditional street-food stores, while cooling drinks like coconut water or herbal tea can bring a day of sunny shopping to a refreshing close.

Severe floods triggered by storm Wipha kill 3 in Vietnam
Severe floods triggered by storm Wipha kill 3 in Vietnam

New Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Severe floods triggered by storm Wipha kill 3 in Vietnam

HANOI: Heavy rains triggered by tropical storm Wipha have caused severe flooding in the central Vietnamese province of Nghe An, killing at least three people and leaving one more missing. With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that often cause deadly floods and mudslides. Wipha is the first major storm to hit the country this year. Wipha made landfall in Vietnam on Tuesday, after battering Hong Kong and China and worsening monsoon rains and flooding in the Philippines. One of the victims was buried by a landslide while another was washed away by a strong current, reported the Kinh Te Moi Truong newspaper, citing information from the People's Committee of Nghe An. More than 3,700 houses in the province have been inundated by flood waters, and another 459 were damaged by strong winds, according to the report. Photos on state media show homes in villages in the province submerged to the roofs. "Our rice, our clothing and our money are all gone," Dang Thi Ngoc, a local flood victim, told state broadcaster VTV. "We have nothing left except for our bare hands." Flood waters have also damaged 1,600 hectares of rice plantations and 1,290 hectares of cash crops in the province, the report said. The government's weather forecast agency said heavy rains reaching up to 250 millimetres are expected on Thursday and Friday and could last until Saturday in several parts of northern Vietnam, potentially causing more flooding.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store