Typhoon Makar Brings Chaos to Haiphong: Taiwanese Businessmen Left in the Dark

Typhoon Makar Brings Destruction to Vietnam

(Special report by Central News Agency reporter Chen Jialun on the 8th) As Typhoon Makar hits northern Vietnam, many parts of the city of Haiphong are still without electricity, water, and communications.

Typhoon Makar struck mainland Vietnam from Hainan Island in China on the 7th, passing through Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Ha Noi. Vietnam experienced 15 hours of strong winds and rain, causing severe damage and casualties.

Capricorn has now weakened into a tropical depression, but continues to bring heavy rains to northern Vietnam. Vietnamese media VTC News reported in the evening that heavy rains hit Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province at 1 pm today and 4 families were found dead in a landslide at 3 pm.

So far, Typhoon Makar has killed at least 20 people and injured more than 200 people in Vietnam.

Zhu Juoyong, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Taiwan Chamber of Commerce Hai Phong Branch (Haiphong Taiwan Chamber of Commerce), said that shortly after the typhoon made landfall on the afternoon of the 7th, almost the entire city of Hai Phong lost power and communications.

Zhu Juoyong noted that after a break from the wind and rain today, he checked and found that most of the street trees in Haiphong City were broken or uprooted, and the water in some places had not receded.

The iron roof of Haiphong Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce President Wang Kunsheng in Do Son District of Haiphong city was blown off and ripped off by strong winds as of 4:30 pm today.

Wang Kunsheng said it would take 2 to 3 days to clean his own factory, and about 6 to 10 days to restore it to its original state, depending on when power is restored.

He said that there is no problem with the personal safety of Taiwanese businessmen in Haiphong city, but the wind was really strong this time and it is estimated that half of the Taiwanese businessmen’s factories were damaged.

After Typhoon Capricorn left, the capital of Vietnam seemed to be severely affected and the situation was chaotic as the trees on the streets were broken into pieces, and the ground was covered with leaves and branches.

Typhoon Makar was recognized by Vietnam as the strongest typhoon in the South China Sea in the past 30 years. Taiwanese businessmen in Hanoi observed that although some units had issued advance warnings before the typhoon arrived, no relevant personnel had come to prune street trees or strengthen them in advance.