The number of casualties in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau caused by flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains on June 23 and 24 continued to rise, local officials said.

By 16:00 on June 24, floods and landslides had left three dead, three missing and five injured.

According to the provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, rains and floods damaged many roads, and caused temporary traffic interruption on national roads 4D, 12 and 32. Landslides temporarily halted traffic in Tam Duong district. 

Floods also swept away a bridge in Than Uyen district, damaged two irrigation works in Muong Te district and many areas of rice and crops in many localities, with total economic losses estimated at dozens of billion VND.

Lai Chau’s Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue agency is coordinating with local authorities to conduct search and rescue operations and tackling the aftermath of the rains and floods.-VNA