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Evacuations begin as typhoon heads for Vietnam

Vietnam evacuated tens of thousands of people in central southern provinces yesterday as Typhoon Durian barrelled toward the coast. The typhoon, packing winds of 130km per hour, was expected to hit towns and tourist resorts between Binh Dinh and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces later yesterday, meteorologists and officials said.

Vietnam's air force dispatched planes over the South China Sea and fishing boats were ordered to return to shore, while authorities prepared for rescue missions.

Three fishermen drowned off central Phu Yen province on Sunday as they were sailing for shelter from the approaching typhoon, the agency reported.

Local authorities aided by troops were yesterday trying to evacuate more than 90,000 people from the region, which is less frequently hit by typhoons than central Vietnam, the national flood and storm control committee said.

"We have evacuated more than 6,800 people to safer areas like schools, churches and cultural centers," Tran Minh Tien, provincial official of the Ninh Thuan agriculture department, said.

"In some areas, we need to mobilize soldiers to help in the evacuation," he said.

He added many people did not want to leave their homes because the weather until yesterday noon had been relatively calm.

"From this afternoon, those who have refused to be evacuated will be forced to do so," he warned.

State television said many people in Khanh Hoa -- the province where the popular beach resort town of Nha Trang is located -- did not believe the storm was coming, having had little exposure to typhoons.

Some people went to the beach to fill sandbags to reinforce their houses, but they were mostly from northern areas of Vietnam, whose residents have greater experience with typhoons, said the report.

The evacuation order applied to parts of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung warned that "local leaders must take full responsibility if the evacuation is not complete before the typhoon arrives or if locals suffer accidents," state-run television reported.
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