China’s Malutang hydropower dam began releasing water, but Vietnamese authorities confirmed the discharge had little effect on current floods in the Lo and Gam Rivers.
On the afternoon of September 30, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep confirmed that China’s Malutang hydropower dam had begun releasing water at a flow rate of approximately 300 cubic meters per second.
The discharge is expected to continue for 72 hours.
Although the release did raise water levels, the deputy minister emphasized that it had only a minor impact on the floods affecting the Lo and Gam rivers.
For comparison, Vietnam’s Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant is currently discharging water at a rate of 5,000 cubic meters per second.
According to the Tuyen Quang Provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, Chinese authorities had notified Vietnam about the planned discharge in advance.
The announcement was made at 12 p.m. (Hanoi time) through the Foreign Affairs Office of Malipho District, Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said the flood situation remains under control.
Deputy Minister Hiep praised the gradual, controlled release of water by China, stating that it showed proper coordination and responsibility in managing transboundary water flows.
Phung Tien Dung, head of the Hydrological Forecasting Department at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said that the ongoing discharge from Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant had raised water levels at the Tuyen Quang monitoring station to Level 3 flood alert, causing flooding in parts of the old Tuyen Quang city area.
Meanwhile, local authorities confirmed that the water release from China had no significant impact on Tuyen Quang Province’s flood prevention and response plans.
Pham Manh Duyet, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, noted that during Storm No. 3 (Yagi) in 2024, China had similarly released water from Ma Lu Thang Dam, but at a slightly lower rate of 250 cubic meters per second, which was still minor compared to the discharge from Vietnam’s Tuyen Quang and Thac Ba dams.
By 6 p.m. on September 30, a preliminary damage report from the Office of the Provincial Civil Defense Command recorded:
At least 700 houses damaged 320 households evacuated Thousands of homes submerged across multiple communes and wards
The Lo River in Tuyen Quang Province continues to rise following heavy rainfall and dam discharges. Photo: XD
In response, provincial authorities have directed all districts to monitor flood forecasts and warnings closely.
Local disaster response agencies have been instructed to enhance public communication to reduce risks to lives and property.
Deputy Minister Hiep also provided a weather update, noting that rainfall across northern Vietnam is expected to end by October 1, with Hanoi likely to stop receiving rain from the evening of September 30.
However, he warned that even after the rain stops, flood threats remain due to the risk of landslides and delayed water flows from tributaries.
Authorities advised the public and local governments to remain alert and responsive to updated warnings.
Vietnamnet.vn
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