The Tourist Island of Cat Ba Regains Power and Telecommunications After Days of ‘Paralysis’

Cat Ba Island Devastated by Storm

According to a representative from the People’s Committee of Cat Hai District, Hai Phong, the recent Storm No. 3 has caused extensive damage to the island of Cat Ba. Initial assessments reveal that 13 people were injured, over 4,700 houses were damaged, with 133 of them being 70-100% ruined. The storm also impacted 20 schools, 8 healthcare facilities, 27 cultural houses, and 17 historical sites. It caused significant damage to the island’s infrastructure, with a total blackout of the power and telecommunication systems.

The storm also took a toll on the local economy, with 19 cages for aquatic farming destroyed, along with 18 sunken boats and 48 damaged canoes. The electrical infrastructure was not spared either, as a medium-voltage pole collapsed, and many medium and low-voltage wires were damaged. The Cat Ba 110kV station suffered roof damage, allowing rainwater to seep into the control room. Additionally, 10 telecommunication poles fell, disrupting all communication systems on the island.

The storm also impacted the headquarters of the District People’s Committee, the District People’s Council, and other agencies, units, businesses, and armed forces in the area.

After six days of being cut off from the mainland, the situation in Cat Ba town center has partially improved, with power and network connections restored in some areas. Essential supplies such as fuel, food, and other necessities for the basic needs of the islanders are now stable.

However, the infrastructure in the communes of Cat Ba Island, including the power transmission system and telecommunication poles, has been severely damaged and remains unrepaired. As a result, residents in these areas are still without power and network access.

The number of shops providing materials, equipment, and labor on Cat Ba Island is limited. Consequently, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses on the island are unable to repair or replace their damaged equipment and facilities. For now, they are mostly cleaning up the mess and waiting for repairs.

Moving forward, the People’s Committee will continue to assess and tally the damage incurred by businesses and residents. They will also coordinate with departments and units to implement support measures and facilitate the supply of materials and equipment, enabling the community to start the recovery process and return to stability as soon as possible.

Restoring Telecommunications on Cat Ba and Bach Long Vi Islands

On September 12, the Department of Information and Communications of Hai Phong City reported that the storm caused extensive damage to trees and power poles, resulting in widespread power outages. All BTS stations in the city lost power, but telecommunications companies utilized backup power to maintain operations in priority areas, ensuring effective post-storm management and recovery.

Following the storm, the Department directed and collaborated with telecommunications companies to restore optical fiber cables on the mainland and repair damaged poles and stations.

Cat Ba Island was isolated due to the disruption of both fiber optic cables in the ring and Viba equipment. By September 10, the authorities had successfully restored the forest-crossing optical cable, bringing telecommunications coverage back to the town center and parts of the island’s flower road. As of now, some areas along the flower road also have network access.

On the other hand, Bach Long Vi Island, a frontier district, suffered a complete loss of its satellite communication system. A telecommunications rescue team was dispatched, and they successfully restored the satellite channel, ensuring 4G coverage for the island.