To ensure absolute safety for passengers and trains, Vietnam Railways Corporation has officially announced the suspension of the international train MR1 from Gia Lam station (Hanoi) to Nanning (China) on July 21 due to the impact of storm No. 3.
According to an announcement from Vietnam Railways Corporation, the entire ticket cost has been refunded to passengers affected by this decision. This is an urgent and necessary measure to prevent any risks that may occur when Typhoon Wipha moves deeper into the area.
The international train MR1 from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Nanning (China) on July 21 was temporarily suspended due to the impact of typhoon Wipha.
According to the SCMP (South China Morning Post), Typhoon Wipha is moving into the northern part of the South China Sea and approaching the coastal strip of China, stretching from the center of Guangdong province to the east of Hainan Island. The China Meteorological Administration (NMC) has issued warnings of the risk of heavy rain in many localities, including the capital Guangzhou, a bustling economic center.
In response to this situation, Chinese authorities have taken drastic measures. All fishing vessels operating off the coast of Guangdong Province have been asked to return to port and take shelter before noon on July 19. At the same time, China is also ready to close shipping routes and coastal tourist attractions when deemed necessary, with the top priority being the safety of residents and tourists.
Typhoon Wipha makes landfall, causing extensive damage in China
China's railway industry is no exception to the disaster prevention work. Relevant units have urgently deployed a series of emergency flood and storm prevention measures, focusing especially on coastal high-speed railway lines, which are likely to be directly and strongly affected by the storm.
The decision to temporarily suspend the MR1 train took place in the context that the Hanoi - Nanning intermodal train route was restored in May this year, after nearly 5 years of interruption due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The return of this train route has received great attention from both tourists and businesses, contributing to promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Faced with unpredictable weather developments in the last 6 months of the year, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Railways Corporation Dang Sy Manh requested units to review all vulnerable points on the route and develop response scenarios according to the level.
After the restoration, the Vietnam - China passenger train route has served more than 2,700 passengers. Specifically, in May, there were 183 passengers, in June, this number skyrocketed to 1,323, and in the first half of July alone, there were 1,227 more passengers using this service. To create more favorable conditions for passengers, from July 16, Gia Lam - Nanning train tickets have been widely sold at all stations nationwide, instead of being limited to a few fixed stations as before.
Faced with unpredictable weather developments in the last 6 months of the year, Mr. Dang Sy Manh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Vietnam Railways Corporation, has requested its affiliated units to review all vulnerable points on the railway line. At the same time, the development of response scenarios for each level of storm and flood has been set up. In particular, Mr. Manh emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination with localities after the province merger from July 1, to ensure that response work takes place synchronously and effectively across the system.
