Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in the past days had left six dead, five missing and two injured in the northern mountainous region by 17:00 on August 5.

A large crack appeared on a hill in the northern province of Yen Bai after prolonged rain.

According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the natural disaster also collapsed seven houses, inundated 276 hectares of rice, destroyed 25 hectares of agricultural land and damaged four cultural works and schools.

In the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, more than 1,700 households in three remote communes are temporarily isolated due to prolonged heavy rains.

Heavy rains in the past week caused serious landslides along the roads connecting Khong Lao and Si Lo Lau communes in Phong Tho district, making three communes of Vang Ma Chai, Ma Ly Chai and Si Lo Lau inaccessible.

Besides efforts to search for the missing people from Vang Ma Chai commune, the district’s authority is mobilising all forces including militiamen, police, border soldiers, and defence force and necessary facilities to soon clear the damaged traffic route.  

Initial statistics from the Phong Tho district People’s Committee showed hundreds of landslides occurred during the flooding, with more than 100,000cu.m of rock, soil, and other earth materials. 

Chairman of the Phong Tho district People’s Committee Tran Van Que said damage to the roads in the district as a result of the rain and flooding was substantial, meaning repairs were quite difficult and costly.

“Goods and other essential commodities for local people are in good stock. We also assigned relevant authorities to monitor the market price in the area to avoid the possibility of a price hike,” Que said.

In another development, landslides occurring at Km74 in National Highway 4H running through the nearby Dien Bien province early August 4 also made stopped traffic for nearly 30 hours.            

Traffic congestion is serious. Roads were temporarily opened at 8:30am on August 5, Director of Land Road Company II LuongThanh Tung, said.

Lorries and passenger buses were helped by specialised excavators and bulldozers to get through, whilst four-seat automobiles couldn’t move, he added.

Landslides occurred on another section of the National Highway 4H in Nam Po district’s Cha Nua commune on August 5 morning.

Landslides also took place on National Highway 12 linking Dien Bien and Lai Chau provinces, causing traffic jams for hours.-VNA