Asia-Pacific News
False tsunami alarm prompts mass evacuation in Vietnam
Sep 12, 2011, 5:15 GMT
Hanoi - Thousands of people on the coast of south-central Vietnam fled their homes after misunderstanding an announcement on the threat of a tsunami, news reports said Monday.
Residents in Ly Son district in Quang Ngai province fled to mountainous areas Saturday morning after a rumour spread that a tsunami was going to hit their homes, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.
The rumour was triggered by fishermen near the Paracel and Spratly islands who told their families in Ly Son that a tsunami was on its way, the report said.
Ly Son district authorities broadcast the message to reassure residents there would not be a tsunami. However, reception was poor due to bad weather, and listeners believed there would be a tsunami.
Nguyen Huu Chi, head of the district broadcasting station, said the rumour was 'completely false.'
Chi said 800 people fled the area. Local fisherman Nguyen Van Dinh told German Press Agency dpa that he estimated about 2,000 people had evacuated their homes.
Residents returned Sunday after authorities sent officials to the mountains to reassure them. The district does not have a tsunami warning system in place.
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