According to preliminary reports from the provinces of Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Quang Tri, as of 7:00 AM on August 26, Storm No. 5, along with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and squalls, has caused serious damage.

Three people were reported dead (one each in Ninh Binh, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh) and 13 others injured (one in Phu Tho, two in Nghe An, five in Ha Tinh, and five in Quang Tri). In terms of housing, eight homes collapsed (seven in Ha Tinh and one in Quang Tri), 6,808 homes suffered roof damage or structural harm (with Ha Tinh accounting for 6,340), and 3,094 homes were flooded (1,935 in Thanh Hoa, 30 in Nghe An, and 1,129 in Ha Tinh). In Thanh Hoa, 27 villages in the communes of Xuan Chinh, Van Xuan, and Tan Thanh experienced flooding and isolation.

Dike systems in several areas sustained damage. In Thanh Hoa, a 25-meter section of the inner slope of the Huu Chu dike collapsed. Local authorities have covered the area with tarpaulin and prepared resources and personnel for repair. In Ha Tinh, a gate in the saltwater prevention sluice on the coastal dyke of Hoi Thong (Dan Hai commune) became jammed, allowing water to enter inland. The issue was resolved promptly. Coastal erosion of about 200 meters was also recorded in Dan Hai commune.

Agricultural production was heavily impacted, with 31,346 hectares of rice, 2,716 hectares of vegetables, and 2,252 hectares of fruit trees submerged or flattened. Over 19,000 trees were uprooted, and 160 hectares of aquaculture areas were inundated.

The transportation system suffered in multiple locations. In Nghe An, four roads were blocked due to flooding. In Ha Tinh, a broken utility pole caused congestion on National Highway 1. In Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri, six landslide points affected rural roads. Numerous roads and spillways in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Quang Tri experienced localized flooding. On August 25 alone, 30 flights were rerouted and 35 others canceled due to the temporary closure of Dong Hoi and Tho Xuan airports.

The power grid took a significant hit, leaving 1.63 million customers without electricity. Nghe An was the most affected with 869,785 outages, followed by Thanh Hoa with 395,061 and Ha Tinh with 349,378. A total of 742 power poles were reported broken.

Local authorities are urgently assessing and addressing the initial damage while continuing to monitor and update statistics for further reporting.

PV