Vietnam: Central region suffers from floods and storms

A storm originating from the Philippines has landed in central Vietnam, from westward into the East Sea. According to statistics in the afternoon of October 20, cited by VnExpress, the flood has caused 111 deaths (including 60 deaths from landslides), 22 missing persons and more than 200,000 people in three provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri to evacuate. In addition, 124,569 households in two provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh have been seriously flooded.

Serious amounts of rainfall, reaching as much as 700 millimeters, will continue to batter central Vietnam provinces until October 21, according to projections by the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

It is forecasted that in the next 24 hours, the typhoon will move in the northwest direction, about 10km per hour and is likely to be stronger. By 4 o'clock on October 23, the storm's position will be located at 17.2 degrees north latitude; 114.5 degrees east longitude, about 220km from the Hoang Sa archipelago in the northeast. The strongest wind in the area near the storm center is as strong as level 11-12 (100-135km / h), with the shock level at 14.

Key Terms:

1. Central Vietnam

2. Rainfall

3. Typhoon

4. Northwest direction

5. North latitude

6. East longitude

Key Questions:

1. What are the consequences of the storm for the people in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri?

2. How do extreme weather conditions link to climate change?

3. Do you think events like this one affect people differently (think about inequality, poverty, education, young people, women, ethnic minorities) ?