HANOI: Heavy rains, flooding and landslides have caused extensive damage across several localities, leaving three people dead, more than 16,000 homes inundated and nearly 25,000ha of crops and aquaculture affected so far, according to Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
As of 5.30pm Thursday (Sept 17), the fatalities are the three people from the same family that have been buried in a landslide in Da Bac Commune, the northern province of Phu Tho.
Four houses had collapsed in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, while another 29 were damaged – one in Ninh Binh, four in Nghe An, seven in Lao Cai, 16 in Phu Tho, and one in Thanh Hoa.
A total of 16,310 houses were inundated, including 8,419 in Thanh Hoa, 4,787 in Ninh Binh, 2,204 in Hanoi, 749 in Nghe An, and 151 in Phu Tho.
Flooding also affected 22,499ha of rice, crops and vegetables, with Ninh Binh Province recording 12,121ha affected. Another 2,172ha of other crops were inundated or damaged, including 1,250ha in Thanh Hoa and 922ha in Hanoi.
Aquaculture production was also affected, with 1,175.62ha of farming areas inundated or damaged, mostly in Thanh Hoa.
The flooding and landslides also damaged 1,999 metres of irrigation canals and affected 15 schools.
Two dyke incidents have been reported. One involved landslides on the river-facing slope along the K100.810-K100.828 section of the left Day River dyke in Ninh Binh Province.
The other involved water overtopping 1.4km of dyke and embankments in Xuan Mai and Kieu Phu communes of Hanoi.
Local authorities have mobilised forces to address the incidents.
Meanwhile, 11 landslide sites have caused traffic disruptions on national and provincial roads.
Seven of these sites are on national highways, including four on National Highway 15C and three on National Highway 217.
Another 30 locations on national and provincial roads have been inundated and caused traffic disruptions.
Five of these are on national highways in Thanh Hoa, including one on National Highway 15, one on National Highway 47 and three on National Highway 217B.
Local authorities have established traffic diversions and are working to restore safe travel.
The Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City railway has also been seriously affected, with water about 1m deep on the Bim Son–Do Len section. Passengers have had to be transported by road through the flooded area.
Authorities step up response
To continue responding to heavy rain, floods, flash floods and landslides, the National Civil Defence Steering Committee has asked ministries, sectors and localities to closely monitor and update weather and flood developments.
Particular attention has been directed to the four localities – Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Phu Tho – to ensure timely and effective responses based on actual conditions.
Localities affected by flooding, inundation and landslides have been instructed to urgently address the aftermath, closely monitor river levels in northern Vietnam and Thanh Hoa, and strengthen warnings to authorities at grassroots level and residents about the risks of rapidly rising water, deep flooding and isolation.
Authorities have also been told to control people and vehicles crossing low-water crossings, flooded bridges and areas with deep or fast-flowing water, while evacuating residents from river and stream banks, low-lying areas and locations at risk of deep flooding, flash floods and landslides.
Dyke patrols and guard duties are also being maintained, with local authorities instructed to implement flood-prevention plans and ensure dyke safety.
Ministries, sectors and localities have been asked to maintain 24-hour duty rosters to ensure timely information and reporting and uninterrupted coordination between central and local authorities. - Vietnam News/ANN
