2006 - Year of devastating storms

According to meteorological experts, 2006 is a special weather year. Most notably, the number of storms directly hitting our country is less than the average for many years, but it is the big storms, causing significant damage to people and property.

Less but stronger

As of December 2006, there were 10 storms and 6 tropical depressions operating in the South China Sea; only 3 storms landed in Vietnam (storms No. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10 did not affect our country).

In these three storms, Typhoon 6 (Xangsane) and Typhoon 9 (Durian) are considered to be two particularly strong storms. Durian hurricane has a sharp and wobbly path, the intensity changes constantly, making it difficult to forecast and prevent storms and is considered to be the most bizarre storm in our country's meteorological history.

Typhoon Xangsane has caused serious damage to people and people (Photo: My Hang)

Typhoon No. 1 (Chanchu), although not directly affecting our mainland and island areas, has caused heavy damage to people and property for offshore fishermen (area north of the East Sea).

Hail is unusually large and prolonged

From April to October, strong thunderstorms and hail and cyclone occurred in many localities throughout the country.

Especially, in 3 days from November 19 to November 21, thunderstorms and cyclones with strong winds and unusual hail have appeared on a large scale in many provinces in the North.

This is the thunderstorm with the largest hail ever occurred in the North. Worth mentioning is, the hailstone is large in size (about 1-2cm on average, the largest is about 4-6cm). Time hail lasts about 10-20 minutes. The thunderstorms with this hail have collapsed many houses, damaged thousands of hectares of rice and crops, broke many precious timber trees (Phu Tho).

Water shortage on some rivers and lakes

The dry season in 2005-2006, the flow of rivers and streams and the amount of water to the reservoirs in the North is inadequate compared to the average of many years (AMY). The water level downstream of the Red River has reached its lowest level in the last 100 years (in Hanoi, it was 1,36m on February 20).

The rivers in the South of the country decreased gradually and were higher than the same period of about 0.2 m, the salinity in the river mouths decreased compared with 2005 from 1.0 to 6.80 / oo.

In Ho Chi Minh City, from November 5-9, there was a strong tide with the highest water level in the last 47 years (the tidal peak in Phu An is greater than 1.4m); high tides break a number of sections of embankments, dikes cause local deepening of most roads in the inner city.

My Hang