Due to bad weather, ferry services to Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang province remain suspended, leaving some tourists stranded.
On July 14, the tropical depression affecting Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang province) has led to prolonged heavy rains, causing flooding in several areas, with the Cua Duong commune being the most severely impacted.
The Phu Quoc City Police Department has mobilized 70 officers and equipped them with necessary tools to urgently coordinate with local authorities in Cua Duong commune to evacuate and rescue residents and their properties from flooded areas.
Upon receiving a report about a pregnant woman, Nguyen Thuy Kieu (26), being stranded in a deeply flooded area, the police promptly arrived at the scene to take her to the city medical center for childbirth.
=The Kien Giang Maritime Port Authority announced that, starting July 13, all ferry services from the mainland to Phu Quoc, Nam Du islands, and vice versa, have been suspended due to adverse weather conditions. As of the afternoon of July 14, there has been no new update regarding the resumption of ferry services.
Mr. Ho Dac Thuan, Director of the Phu Quoc City Center for Culture, Sports, and Broadcasting, stated that the temporary suspension of ferry services for two days has left a small number of tourists stranded on the island.
"In addition to high-speed ferries, tourists can also travel to and from Phu Quoc by air, which is still operating normally. We are closely monitoring the situation, and if tourists face difficulties, we will promptly provide support," Mr. Thuan shared.
According to the Kien Giang Meteorological and Hydrological Station, the Rach Gia – Phu Quoc and Tho Chau sea areas will experience widespread rain. Winds will be from the west-southwest at level 5, occasionally reaching level 6, with gusts at levels 7-8, and waves reaching heights of 0.75-2.5 meters.
Her family planned to return to the mainland two days ago but all ferry services have suspended operation since Saturday morning. They mainly stay at their hotel because their tour package had ended and there are also no other attractions to visit.
"I don't know when I'll be able to return home as travel costs are going up, even though the hotel is providing us a little support," she said.
Every day there are one to four high-speed boat trips from Phu Quoc, Rach Gia, Ha Tien to the island with travel time from two to five hours, depending on the starting point.
Bad weather has also affected tourists on Phu Quoc Island, which was recently voted the world's most beautiful after Maldives by American magazine Travel+Leisure.
Due to torrential downpours, many roads in Cua Duong Commune on Phu Quoc Island turned into rivers, with some over a meter deep, on Sunday.
Nguyen Van Tam and his colleague from Ca Mau arrived in Phu Quoc five days ago and planned to return home on Sunday but had to postpone their plans as high-speed boats connecting to the island were halted.
"We are worried that coming home late will affect the progress of our work," Tam said.
Heavy rain over the past few days has left many tourists "stuck in hotels."
"We hope to return home early, because we cannot afford the living expenses," said tourist Tran Thi Ngoc from Can Tho who took their children to enjoy a summer holiday in Phu Quoc.
Normally, every day there are more than 30 high-speed boats from the mainland to Phu Quoc.
