On September 13 morning, the Hanoi Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue Command issued an order to lift the second flood alert out of the three alert levels on the Red River in districts Bac Tu Liem, Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Thanh Tri, Dong Anh, and Gia Lam.

It lifted the second flood alert on the Duong River in Long Bien, Dong Anh and Gia Lam districts.

On September 12, the Command lifted the second flood alert on the Red River in Son Tay town and the districts of Ba Vi, Phuc Tho, Dan Phuong, and Me Linh.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the water level of the Red River flowing through Hanoi is receding, and is expected to drop below the first alert in the next 12 to 24 hours.

However, as water levels are receding slowly, flooding may persist for several days in low-lying areas, riverbanks, and floodplains outside the main dykes in the provinces and cities of Hanoi, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Ha Nam, Hai Duong.

Experts warned extended high water levels could lead to breaches and collapses of river dykes and embankments, severely impacting vulnerable areas along the riverbanks in Hanoi, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Thai Binh, and Ninh Binh.

Authorities of Hanoi have so far evacuated approximately 73,700 residents from areas at risk of being affected by heavy rain and floods. Many residents in flooded areas have used boats to travel around for transportation and daily activities.

Meanwhile, Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) reported that water levels in major hydroelectric reservoirs in the north are decreasing. At 8:00a.m. on September 13, the water level at Thac Ba Reservoir was recorded at 58.88m, down over 1m from its peak. The inflow of water into the reservoir was 1,930 cubic meters per second, which is lower than the outflow capacity.

At Lai Chau Reservoir, the upstream water level was about 3m lower than the normal flood level, while at Hoa Binh Reservoir, the upstream water level is approximately 4m below the normal flood level.

Currently only Thac Ba Reservoir and Tuyen Quang Reservoir are opening their floodgates.

VOV