Floods occurred again in the central provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, due to heavy rainfall and water released from a local power plant.

It follows the floods in October and earlier this month.

Floodwaters isolated six communes in Ha Tinh’s Huong Khe District since yesterday, inundating these localities for the third time in a month since October 15.

Students were forced to stay at home to remain safe. Huong Khe was hit hardest by the repeated floods.

In Quang Binh, roads to the communes of Son Trach, Phuc Trach, Thuong Hoa, Cao Quang and Quang Son were cut off by floodwaters. Water engulfed many homes in Son Trach and Quang Son, also for the third time in a month.

Residents in Son Trach said the flow of water was so swift that they could not save their belongings from getting damaged.

Schools were forced to shut down temporarily as well. Teams of volunteers, who were helping affected families in the earlier floods, were unable to reach those areas.

Downpours in the provinces since Monday and release of water by the Ho Ho power plant, which is located between Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, were blamed for causing the flood.

Repeated floods in October and early November have claimed 21 lives and damaged 12,000 houses in Quang Binh.

The floods meant local students were late by three weeks in comparison with the national academic schedule. The province’s department of education and training early this week announced a subsidy package for students, with entire tuition fee exemption to those living in flood-hit areas and additional expenses, including stationary.

In related news, the Quang Binh Department of Husbandry and Veterinary delivered 10,000 litres of chemicals used for hygienic spray in husbandry to farmers in the flood-hit area, preventing more diseases in the sector following the floods. 

VNS