Ha Noi, July 31 (VNA) - One person was killed and 40 m of dyke was broken by a tropical storm that ravaged the northern provinces of Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh on July 31, according to the Central Committee for Storm and Flood Control.

Le Ngoc Anh, 38, owner of an aquaculture farm in Thuy Hai commune, Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province, was swept away and killed by a flash flood.

The tornado broke down 40 m of sea dyke in Cat Hai district and seriously damaged a dyke in Do Son district, Hai Phong city, pulled down many trees, and electric and lap poles, and damaged almost all newly-planted rice fields and aquaculture areas in Hai Phong and Thai Binh province. Thai Binh province recorded losses estimated at nearly 1 billion VND with 2,000 ha of shrimp farms and more than 3,000 ha of crops were swept away being completely destroyed.

In Quang Ninh province, three ships were wrecked, and many houses had their roofs blown off in Ha Long City and Cam Pha township.    

According to the Central Hydro-Meteorology Centre, the tropical storm has been weakening, but heavy rains and strong winds continue to affect northern provinces. The committee has sent urgent messages asking northern provinces to take measures to prevent flash floods and land slides, to drain water from submerged fields, and keep watch around the clock to provide rescue services on rivers in necessary cases.