An aspect is a method that includes receiving (k0−1)k1+k2 write data symbols, where k2 k0, resulting in k2 columns of length m including the write data symbols and vertical parity values. The k0−1 rows of the write data symbols of length k1 and the m−k0+1 rows from the partially encoded array are encoded into an encoded array of m rows of length n columns, n>k1 including at least one parity value in each of the m rows, thereby enabling correction of up to (n−k1)/2 errors in any row and up to (n−k2)/2 errors in up to m−k0+1 rows of the encoded array.