Hail and whirlwinds, striking Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province since early Tuesday morning, have killed 15 local people, mainly fishermen, and left some others missing.

The hail and whirlwinds by Tuesday afternoon had also made three tourist boats, some fishing boats and a coal-carrying barge sink in the Ha Long Bay in the province's Ha Long city, hundreds of trees and four cranes valued at some 10 million U.S. dollars fall down, and some areas in the city experience blackouts, said Pham Dinh Hoa, deputy head of the provincial Anti-Storm and Flood Committee.

Most staff and passengers of the three tourist boats were rescued. When the tourist boat named Hai Long QN 1250 with a total of three staff and without passengers sank, two have been rescued, and one still missing, he said.

Over the past three days, hail has appeared in many northern localities, including Hanoi, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Lai Chau and Bac Can.

Source: Xinhua