For nearly a month, forces have been working hard to collect floating trash both in coastal areas and on the water surface, at the foot of the rocky islands of Ha Long Bay. This is just one of the severe impacts that storm No. 3 has left on the natural landscape, environment and biodiversity of the Ha Long Bay heritage area.
Unforeseeable damage
The huge amount of waste generated in Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi includes many types, such as: Styrofoam buoys, broken aquaculture cages, especially a lot of bulky solid waste, which are construction materials, equipment of coastal works destroyed by the storm, drifting and stuck at the foot of the rocky islands in the heritage area. The storm also washed away alluvium and bottom materials, causing the entire clear water surface of the bay to become cloudy for a long time...
Preliminary surveys after the storm by the Ha Long Bay Management Board showed that the lush green vegetation ecosystem on the islands in many areas was uprooted, broken, crushed, reducing the coverage of vegetation on limestone mountains, negatively affecting a number of endemic plants and plants with landscape value of Ha Long Bay, such as: Ha Long Cycads, Ha Long Palms, Spotted Slipper Orchids, Cottonwoods... At the same time, it also negatively impacted the habitat of wild animals, including directly affecting the habitat of a number of bird species, reptiles and the regular food source of the Macaca Mulatta monkeys living on the islands in the heritage area. In particular, the vegetation on the islands with many dry leaves, branches, and tree trunks is currently at high risk of forest fires.
The impacts of storm No. 3 not only seriously affected the landscape and environment of Ha Long Bay, but also rockfalls occurred at some tourist attractions, such as Ba Hang area, Ti Top island, Co cave, etc., posing a potential risk of geological disasters such as landslides, landslides, and rocks from the island system and caves in the area.
Along with that, the infrastructure and technical services for tourism at tourist attractions on the bay were severely damaged, with an estimated total damage of about 40 billion VND. Specifically, 13 management and operation houses at tourist reception points on the bay were damaged (3 houses were completely damaged). Assets and equipment serving the work of welcoming tourists and the activities of staff and employees were damaged (speakers, sunshades, stone benches, garden lighting systems, solar panels, daily necessities, etc.). 95% of trees and landscapes at tourist attractions on the bay were broken. 100% of signs, nameplates of caves, grottoes, tourist regulations, and instructions were completely damaged. One composite boat was sunk. The generator system at some tourist attractions was damaged.
Notably, 33 preserved raft houses in the fishing villages of Cua Van, Vung Vieng and Ba Hang were completely submerged in the storm. The Cua Van floating cultural center was severely damaged, partly submerged into the sea. The stone railing system from the wharf leading to some caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go, Ti Top, Sung Sot) was broken; the path system in the cave and some tourist attractions were peeled off and broken. The facilities of people and businesses participating in rowing and kayaking services on Ha Long Bay at the service points of Ba Hang, Cong Do, Cua Van, Hang Luon, Vung Vieng were severely damaged...
Quick recovery after storm
Immediately after storm No. 3 ended, the Ha Long Bay Management Board established a working group to conduct a field inspection and resolutely direct the remediation of the consequences. Through investigation, it was found that the unit mobilized all its staff, workers, ships, boats, and purchased supplies and equipment to carry out a general environmental cleaning; reviewed and renovated facilities at tourist attractions on the bay.
Thanks to that, the main tourist attractions on Ha Long Bay were quickly cleared of roads, fallen trees were sawed off; the landscape system, trees and railings were planted and repaired; the lighting system in caves was checked to ensure safety; materials from destroyed structures were urgently collected; many garbage collection points in tourist areas on Ha Long Bay were basically cleaned up, ensuring maximum safety and aesthetic conditions at tourist attractions serving tourists...
Thus, just a few days after the storm, the unit was able to continue to maintain the reception and service activities for tourists on some sightseeing and overnight routes. Up to now, all sightseeing routes on the bay have welcomed visitors back to normal. In September alone, Ha Long Bay welcomed more than 139,000 visitors, equal to 79.8% compared to the same period last year; of which there were more than 88,000 foreign visitors, accounting for nearly 70.5% of the total number of visitors and equal to 103.2% compared to the same period last year.
Although the city has welcomed back visitors as normal, the cleaning of Ha Long Bay and overcoming other consequences caused by the storm are still being carried out. After the 3-day peak cleaning of Ha Long Bay since September 14, local forces have also mobilized to collect waste in coastal areas on a large scale. Accordingly, by the end of September, Ha Long City has mobilized nearly 30,000 people and arranged over 230 vehicles, collecting over 2,000m3 of rafts, damaged rafts, tree branches, and foam buoys drifting to coastal areas. In addition, the city has also collected waste along the shore of Ha Long Bay with a length of over 10km and a coastal water surface area of about 600ha, with a total waste volume of over 33 tons.
In order to have an in-depth assessment of how the vegetation and rocky islands are affected by storms, in mid-September, the Ha Long Bay Management Board proactively invited the Institute of Geological Sciences and Mineral Resources, the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) to send experts to support the survey, prepare a report assessing the current status of the geological - geomorphological values, biodiversity values of Ha Long Bay and advise on solutions to preserve and promote the values of the heritage in a sustainable manner...
According to the unit's plan, in the coming time, to continue to overcome the consequences after the storm, quickly ensure the best conditions for safety and aesthetics at tourist attractions, the Ha Long Bay Management Board will focus all its efforts to continue repairing facilities and infrastructure at tourist attractions and overnight anchorages on the bay to restore the normal state as before.
Continue to mobilize human resources, equipment and means to collect waste and clean up the environment of Ha Long Bay, especially in water areas, foot of islands and sandbanks to restore the heritage landscape. Urge organizations, individuals and businesses operating tourism services on the bay to increase cleaning and refurbishment of facilities to ensure safety and aesthetic requirements in welcoming and serving tourists to Ha Long Bay...
At the same time, continue to coordinate with experts to conduct a survey of the current status of Ha Long Bay's values after storm No. 3, assess the risks of insecurity and have specific solutions, focusing on identifying areas with potential risks of landslides, rockslides, tree falls and forest fires to promptly warn. Develop and strictly implement a plan to prevent and combat special forest fires in the bay, ensuring the requirements for preventing and responding to natural disasters and fires in the upcoming dry season.
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