Secretary of Thanh Hoa Province Party Committee, Trinh Van Chien (left) visits Ha Van Van in Quan Son District who lost six family members in a flood which swept away his house on August 3.

The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention reported a deathtoll of 10 caused by floods as of 5 am on August 6, including five in Thanh Hoa Province.

By Tuesday morning, 11 people are still missing including 10 in Thanh Hoa and one in Dien Bien.

A rescue team look for missing people in Thanh Hoa Province on August 5.

According to the committee, heavy rains triggered by Storm Wipha has been going on since August 2, causing flooding and landslides in many areas in Quang Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, and Thanh Hoa provinces.

A school in Thanh Hoa Province is destroyed by landslides.

Thanh Hoa Province has been hardest-hit by the flooding with two districts of Muong Lat and Quan Son being isolated. As many as 183 houses, four schools, 17 hectares of forests and many road sections have been damaged, causing property losses of over VND1 billion (USD43,500) for the province.

Local authorities are still trying to look for 10 missing people.

Localities suffer great losses from natural disasters

The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control’s Office on August 6 reported that so far, Storm Wipha has claimed 10 lives and left 11 people missing, destroyed 91 houses and caused great property losses.

The central province of Thanh Hoa was the hardest hit with five deaths and 10 missing. In Sa Na village, Na Meo commune of Quan Son district alone, floodwater swept out 21 houses.

As of August 6, total property losses in the province were estimated at 136 billion VND (5.8 million USD).

Storm Wipha, the third affecting Vietnam so far this year, attacked northern and central localities from July 31 to August 3.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a document asking ministries, sectors and localities to focus on overcoming the aftermath of the disaster.

On August 5, 200 packages of instant noodle and five tonnes of rice were supplied to locals in Quan Son, while 200 officers and soldiers as well as health staff were sent to the locality to support affected people.

Meanwhile, the northern province of Yen Bai has basically dealt with the storm’s consequences, finishing the evacuation of people in risky areas to safer places.

The northern province of Hoa Binh has calculated the total loss at about 10 billion VND.

In the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, heavy rains and whirlwind killed one person and injured another, while blowing away the roof of nearly 600 houses. High tide submerged 1,840 houses, one school, 2,540m of roads, while landslides damaged 62m of river banks and affected many households. Total loss is estimated at over 22 billion VND.

The province has mobilised forces and vehicles to inspect and reinforce coastal dyke system and prevent landslides.

In Kien Giang province, 200 houses were damaged and 63 others submerged in floodwater. As many as 188 officers and soldiers were sent to localities to help evacuate locals.

In Soc Trang province, authorities have assisted locals overcome aftermaths of heavy rains, whirlwinds and high tide which damaged many houses, dykes and farms.

Dtinews/VNA/VNN

Storm brings extreme weather to northeast, north, and central regions

Storm Wipha, the third tropical storm to hit Vietnam this year, brought with it an array of rain, strong winds, and caused flooding in the northeast, north, and central regions of the country on August 2 and 3.

Trees across Hanoi devastated by storm Wipha

Storm Wipha weakened into a tropical depression during the evening of August 2, causing heavy rains and severe damage to a number of large trees throughout Hanoi.