Heavy rain triggered by Storm Narra, the fourth storm to affect Vietnam this year, caused severe flooding across several areas of That Khe Commune in Lang Son Province on the morning of August 24. At one point, floodwaters rose close to the second floors of some homes.

Hundreds of houses were flooded to their roofs or had their entire ground floors submerged. Residents who remained behind to watch over their properties were forced to move upstairs.

Speaking with VietNamNet the same day, Chu Tuan Doanh, Chairman of the That Khe Commune People’s Committee, said water levels had risen sharply in the morning, reaching close to the second floors of some multi-storey homes.

By noon, the water had fallen by around 10cm and showed signs of continuing to recede.

According to Doanh, some of the worst-hit areas were villages 1, 2, 3 and 4, where hundreds of households were affected.

To help residents through the flooding, local authorities established 12 safe evacuation sites. Authorities had already begun moving people out of areas at risk of flooding on August 22.

“The commune has mobilized all local organizations and departments to prepare free meals for residents. So far, 800 meals have been delivered to disadvantaged families affected by the flooding,” Doanh said.

According to a rapid assessment by the Lang Son provincial People’s Committee, as of 5pm on August 23, one person had died in a landslide caused by the severe weather.

Around 4,031 homes and auxiliary structures were affected, while more than 2,687 hectares of crops were flooded, flattened or damaged.

More than 100 livestock and over 6,000 poultry died, while authorities recorded around 903 landslide and flooding locations along roads across the province.