As of 6 am on June 25 the death toll in flood and landslides rose to seven in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang and Lai Chau, according to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

National road 4D in Lai Chau has been seriously damaged

Of the victims, two were residents of Ha Giang and the rest five were from Lai Chau. 

At the same time, eight people in Lai Chau went missing and five were injured after heavy rains triggered flood and landslides over the past two days.

As of 8:00am of June 25, floods and landslides destroyed 47 houses in Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Thai Nguyen and Lao Cai provinces, while damaging 246 others. As many as 525 houses were submerged by floodwater.

In Lai Chau, 391 hectares of rice and crop were affected, while 4 tonnes of rice varieties were ruined by floods as consequences of heavy rains which started on June 22.

National roads 4D and 279 connecting Lao Cai and Lai Chau were blocked by masses of soil and stones from serious landslides, causing traffic congestion. Some provincial roads of Lai Chau were also damaged. 

Total losses are estimated to reach over 76.6 billion VND, with Lai Chau being the hardest hit with damages amounting to about 60 billion VND.

The committee has asked localities to drastically implement the Prime Minister’s dispatch on the prompt overcoming of flood consequences, searching for the missing, giving treatment to the injured and supporting the dead victims’ families.

In the dispatch, the PM also asked relevant ministries, sectors and localities to continue inspect areas with high risk of landslide and flashflood, ensure safety for dykes and reservoirs, make sure traffic in national routes is smooth, and regularly update information and developments of floods and disasters to people for preparations.

Heavy rains lasting from June 22 to 24 swelled rivers to dangerously high levels and many hydroelectric power plants had to release water, which flooded the centre of Ha Giang city. Citizens have to use boats to travel through the centre of Ha Giang city. A road from Sin Ho town to Hoang Ho hamlet in Lai Chau province is deep under water.  Many hectares of subsidiary crops have been damaged. The centre of Sin Ho district is inundated with water. Floodwaters from higher ground pour into quarry pits in Lai Chau province. Floodwaters on Highway No 279 linking Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces The floods cause a mass die off of sturgeon. Many areas of Lao Cai province are flooded. Floodwaters are rising on the Lo River. Functional agencies inspect the flooding. Lai Chau province has so far reported 6 deaths from the floods, while 11 people are missing and five people have suffered injuries.

VNA/VNE/VOV