Bishops in Vietnam have appealed urgent help for storm victims after a tropical storm killed at least 92 people warning that severe flooding caused by the storm may bring about serious hunger threat for hundreds of thousands victims, and that a new typhoon is gaining its strength to hit the eastern coast on this weekend. Meanwhile, Catholics have offered sanctuary to storm and flood victims, and even Buddhist monks and nuns who have been hunted by police.
As on Oct. 1, Vietnam death storm toll has risen to 92 with more than 200 wounded and at least 19 reported missing. Vietnam annually suffers from tropical storms and typhoons but the death toll this year far exceeds the deaths recorded in 2006, when tropical storm Durian killed 70 in the country's south, and the typhoon Xangsane which left more than 70 dead in central Vietnam.
Ketsana hit central Vietnam on Tuesday after fatally devastating the Philippines, where it killed 277. Coastal provinces of Quang Tri, Hue, Quang Ngai and Danang experienced strong winds of category 11 to 12, rising to level 14-15 near the storm’s eye. State media reported on Thursday that in Hue province, over 320 houses had been demolished or unroofed by the storm. In the central province of Quang Tri, some river banks were broken, causing flooding on a large area with at least 70,000 houses were submerged completely until their roofs. In Kontum, “24 people died in landslides when their houses collapsed after being rattled by the storm. Some also died by drowning in floodwaters,” state television reported.
In addition, more than 73,466 hectares of crops were inundated and presumed lost. 356,790 people have been evacuated.
Death toll in Quang Ngai has far exceeded other provinces due to erroneous forecasts. In article titled “Disasters from subjectiveness and erroneous forecasts”, the state-owned Dan Tri newspaper reported that 29 fishermen of Quang Ngai had followed the instruction of the National Hydro Meteorological Forecast Center to drive their boats directly to the storm’s eye. The paper harshly criticized the forecast center. According to the paper, the center had forecast that the storm’s eye would be in Quang Tri, hundreds of miles away. But in fact, it was right at Quang Ngai. “Also, ridiculously, after the storm had completed its sweep of Quang Ngai at 2:30 PM, the center still reported that it would not hit the province until mid-night,” the paper added.
Catholic churches and monasteries in central Vietnam have widely opened their doors to offer refuge for storm and flood victims. Thanh Duc parish in Danang, located right at Han River’s gate, has allowed local people to take refuge inside its catechism classes. Every day, parishioners cook and supply food for those who were forced to evacuate for the storm.
Facing such a grave disaster, Vietnam authorities still mobilize great resources for religious oppression. In a press release published on Wednesday night Sept. 30, representatives of the Bat Nha Buddhist Monastery condemned Vietnamese police for the on-going harassment against their monks and nuns while praising local Catholics for their support.
After being forced out of their monastery on Sunday by police and an angry mob, they sought refuge at Phuoc Hue Temple in Bao Loc. But, “Uniformed police have blockaded the Chùa Phước Huệ temple in Bảo Lộc where the 376 monastics have taken sanctuary. Police officers, numbering 200 at their peak, yesterday viciously threatened the abbot, Venerable Thai Thuan [not to allow the monastics to take refuge],” the press release said.
According to Thich Nhat Hanh’s followers, officers even threatened to repeat at Phước Huệ Temple the violence and destruction they had inflicted at Bat Nha where the police and mob on Sunday dragged the nuns and monks to police vehicles, beating them and grabbing their testicles in an effort to humiliate them.
“Remarkably, the congregation of the neighboring Catholic Church has offered sanctuary to the refugee monks and nuns in the event that the Abbot of Phước Huệ Temple is unable to resist government pressure,” the press release added.
Far in the North at Vinh diocese, on Sunday Sept. 27, local authorities of Quang Binh province sent bulldozers to Bau Sen Parish to knock down a large statue of Our Lady of La Vang erected on the top of a mountain inside the parish cemetery, after parishioners had refused to remove the statue.
Heavy rain over several days flooded the cemetery and practically prevented the demolition. While many local Catholics and non-Catholics alike believe it is a miracle, local authorities still vow to knock down the statue when the weather improves.
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| 70,000 houses were submerged completely until their roofs |
Ketsana hit central Vietnam on Tuesday after fatally devastating the Philippines, where it killed 277. Coastal provinces of Quang Tri, Hue, Quang Ngai and Danang experienced strong winds of category 11 to 12, rising to level 14-15 near the storm’s eye. State media reported on Thursday that in Hue province, over 320 houses had been demolished or unroofed by the storm. In the central province of Quang Tri, some river banks were broken, causing flooding on a large area with at least 70,000 houses were submerged completely until their roofs. In Kontum, “24 people died in landslides when their houses collapsed after being rattled by the storm. Some also died by drowning in floodwaters,” state television reported.
In addition, more than 73,466 hectares of crops were inundated and presumed lost. 356,790 people have been evacuated.
Death toll in Quang Ngai has far exceeded other provinces due to erroneous forecasts. In article titled “Disasters from subjectiveness and erroneous forecasts”, the state-owned Dan Tri newspaper reported that 29 fishermen of Quang Ngai had followed the instruction of the National Hydro Meteorological Forecast Center to drive their boats directly to the storm’s eye. The paper harshly criticized the forecast center. According to the paper, the center had forecast that the storm’s eye would be in Quang Tri, hundreds of miles away. But in fact, it was right at Quang Ngai. “Also, ridiculously, after the storm had completed its sweep of Quang Ngai at 2:30 PM, the center still reported that it would not hit the province until mid-night,” the paper added.
Catholic churches and monasteries in central Vietnam have widely opened their doors to offer refuge for storm and flood victims. Thanh Duc parish in Danang, located right at Han River’s gate, has allowed local people to take refuge inside its catechism classes. Every day, parishioners cook and supply food for those who were forced to evacuate for the storm.
Facing such a grave disaster, Vietnam authorities still mobilize great resources for religious oppression. In a press release published on Wednesday night Sept. 30, representatives of the Bat Nha Buddhist Monastery condemned Vietnamese police for the on-going harassment against their monks and nuns while praising local Catholics for their support.
After being forced out of their monastery on Sunday by police and an angry mob, they sought refuge at Phuoc Hue Temple in Bao Loc. But, “Uniformed police have blockaded the Chùa Phước Huệ temple in Bảo Lộc where the 376 monastics have taken sanctuary. Police officers, numbering 200 at their peak, yesterday viciously threatened the abbot, Venerable Thai Thuan [not to allow the monastics to take refuge],” the press release said.
According to Thich Nhat Hanh’s followers, officers even threatened to repeat at Phước Huệ Temple the violence and destruction they had inflicted at Bat Nha where the police and mob on Sunday dragged the nuns and monks to police vehicles, beating them and grabbing their testicles in an effort to humiliate them.
“Remarkably, the congregation of the neighboring Catholic Church has offered sanctuary to the refugee monks and nuns in the event that the Abbot of Phước Huệ Temple is unable to resist government pressure,” the press release added.
Far in the North at Vinh diocese, on Sunday Sept. 27, local authorities of Quang Binh province sent bulldozers to Bau Sen Parish to knock down a large statue of Our Lady of La Vang erected on the top of a mountain inside the parish cemetery, after parishioners had refused to remove the statue.
Heavy rain over several days flooded the cemetery and practically prevented the demolition. While many local Catholics and non-Catholics alike believe it is a miracle, local authorities still vow to knock down the statue when the weather improves.