Van Don Special Economic Zone is busy before storm Ragasa, rescue forces are ready

On the afternoon of September 24, the weather in Van Don (Quang Ninh) was still dry and sunny. People were rushing to complete their last tasks before storm No. 9 (Ragasa) made landfall.

Sunset at Van Don special economic zone on the afternoon of September 24, before the storm made landfall - Photo: PHAM TUAN

On the afternoon of September 24, before storm No. 9 (Ragasa) made landfall, Van Don special economic zone ( Quang Ninh province) was still sunny and beautiful.

According to Tuoi Tre Online, many people took advantage of the opportunity to go to the market to buy food and essential items, while fishing boats rushed to import goods and then take their boats to shelter from the storm.

People at Van Don market take advantage of the sunny weather to go to the market to buy food, especially green vegetables to store for the days when the storm hits - Photo: PHAM TUAN

At Cai Rong wharf (Van Don), the atmosphere is bustling.

Mr. Dung (40 years old) continuously urged the workers to hurry up, loading each basket of oysters from the boat onto the truck so that the truck could leave the dock before the storm hit.

The last seafood boats hurried to dock before the storm hit - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Mr. Dung said that in response to storm No. 9, since the morning of the same day, many boat owners in Van Don have reinforced and brought their boats to safe shelters to avoid the storm.

"After the heavy damage caused by Typhoon Yagi last year, people have been more proactive in preventing and protecting their property, not being subjective in the face of storms. Almost all ships have entered the storm shelters, and some people who were on rafts to keep watch were also asked by authorities to leave their rafts to avoid the storm," said Mr. Dung.

The last baskets of crabs arrived at the port before the storm hit - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Workers hurriedly loaded goods onto trucks at Cai Rong wharf on the afternoon of September 24 - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Together with his wife, cleaning up the crab nets and bringing them ashore to take the boat to the storm shelter, Mr. Nguyen Bien (49 years old, Van Don) said that due to the impact of storm Ragasa, he expected to have to stop going to sea for 5-7 days.

"This storm is big, we cannot be subjective, we should stay at sea for a few days but still ensure the safety of people's lives and property," Mr. Bien shared.

Mr. Nguyen Bien (49 years old, Van Don) collects crab nets ashore to take the boat to avoid the storm - Photo: PHAM TUAN

To cope with the storm, Van Don special zone has established 12 working groups on standby. The locality has mobilized armed forces, police, border guards, brigades, navy, militia... to be ready for rescue in case of emergency.

The Van Don Special Zone Civil Defense Command has also activated the highest level of response plan to storm No. 9. At the same time, it has reviewed all vulnerable areas, inspected key projects, and coastal residential areas.

Many fishing boats have entered the harbor to take shelter from the storm - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Sturdy wooden stakes are driven deep underground, tied with ropes to create safe anchoring points for boats - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Currently, all fishing boats in the special zone have been contacted and are moving to storm shelters to ensure safety.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Cao Tuong Huy - Secretary of the Van Don Special Zone Party Committee - said that work on storm prevention No. 9 is being actively implemented.

People reinforce boats before the storm - Photo: PHAM TUAN

Regarding the 507 houses at risk of having their roofs blown off by the storm, Mr. Huy said he has directed relevant units to complete plans to evacuate people to safe places.

The locality has also directed functional forces and armed forces to maintain standby forces and coordinate operations to promptly respond to the storm.

Cai Rong Wharf is deserted on the afternoon of September 24 - Photo: PHAM TUAN

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 4:00 p.m. on September 24, the center of storm Ragasa was off the coast of Guangdong province (China), about 450km east of Mong Cai (Quang Ninh).

The strongest wind is level 13 (134 - 149km/h), gusting to level 16 - weakened one level compared to 1:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Forecast tonight to early tomorrow morning (next 12 hours), the storm will move west at a speed of about 20km/h, intensity will continue to weaken.

At 4am tomorrow morning, the storm center will be about 180km east of Mong Cai. The storm is currently at level 10, gusting to level 12.

From morning to tomorrow afternoon, the storm will continue to move west at a speed of about 20km/h and gradually weaken into a tropical depression.

At 4 p.m. on September 25, the center of the tropical depression was on land in Quang Ninh province. The tropical depression then moved west and weakened into a low pressure area on land in the Northwest region.

PHAM TUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dac-khu-van-don-tat-bat-truoc-bao-ragasa-luc-luong-cuu-ho-da-san-sang-20250924185031645.htm