South_Vietnam Typhoon_Hester_(1971)

the hangar of 174th assault helicopter company in chu lai leveled along twelve dolphin huey helicopters.

regarded 1 of destructive storms strike vietnam since 1944, typhoon hester caused considerable damage in country , disrupted vietnam war. making landfall directly on united states military installation in chu lai, hester damaged or destroyed 75 percent of structures in base. sustained winds , gusts in base estimated have reached 130 km/h (80 mph) , 160 km/h (105 mph) respectively. 4 hangars collapsed in chu lai airbase, total aircraft losses amounting 36 destroyed , 87 damaged. losses destroyed helicopters exceeded $3.6 million (1971 usd). dozens of barracks damaged in chu lai , communications hampered. 91st evacuation hospital destroyed , forced transfer patients quy nhơn. 50 percent of structures @ marble mountain air facility damaged storm s high winds.

heavy rains accompanying storm, peaking @ 5.44 in (138 mm) @ camp eagle, caused considerable flooding in country. approximately 370 km (230 mi) of coastline between quảng trị , Đà nẵng inundated. 90 percent of homes in Đà nẵng damaged. flooding storm washed out bridge between fire support base birmingham , camp eagle, temporarily isolating 2 units within 94th field artillery regiment.

extensive losses agriculture took place, major crop losses reported , 900 cattle killed. according government officials, entire banana, rice, , sugar cane crop destroyed , harvests not made until following spring. offshore, 500 vessels sank or destroyed storm , 1,000 ton union pacific ran aground.

damage barracks in camp evans

according newspaper reports, 100 vietnamese perished during hester. thirty-three fatalities took place after republic of vietnam air force transport crashed near quy nhơn. thee americans killed due flying debris during storm , twenty-one others injured. on october 25, thunderstorms associated hester blamed on helicopter crash nha trang killed ten americans. 550,000 homes destroyed across country, leaving estimated 200,000 people homeless.

on october 25, premier tran thien khiem toured of storm-ravaged areas , made on-the-spot grants of $19,000 each province , $3,500 Đà nẵng. promised 50,000 sheets of tin roofing sent aid in reconstruction. later day, president nguyen van thieu ordered $725,000 made available disaster relief in northern provinces following emergency meeting. social welfare ministry estimated $1.5 million needed civilian relief.