VietNamNet Bridge – Ongoing heavy rain since early this week has caused damage in northern provinces.

Landslide causes difficulties for people to travel on National Highway 12 from the northern province of Lai Chau to Dien Bien. — VNA/VNS Photo Cong Tuyen

In Son La Province, a landslide occurred on National Highway No279D in Muong Bu Commune, Muong La District early Wednesday morning, blocking traffic.

Tran Cong Thin, vice director of the province’s Transport Construction and Management No1 Company, said workers and equipment were mobilised to clear the road.

Traffic was expected to resume late the same day, he said, adding local authorities instructed drivers to use alternative routes from Muong La District to Son La City and vice versa.

At least 15 houses in Muong La District have been affected by the flooding, of which, ten families were evacuated to safety.

In Mai Son District, a man was reported missing after being swept away by flash floods as he crossed a stream.

Torrential rains also poured down on the province of Dien Bien in the last three days.

Landslides disrupted traffic on a number of routes, especially National Highway 4H from Muong Cha District to Muong Nhe District.

Flooding occurred in Nam Po, Tua Chua, Tuan Giao and Muong Cha districts, sweeping away 70 houses, according to the province’s Natural Disasters Prevention and Control Committee.

Floods inundated 130ha of rice, 30ha of fish farming areas and swept away 100 cattle and fowls.

Large stones weighing about 10 tonnes eroded and fell on the Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan highway in Yen Dinh Commune, Cho Moi District, Bac Kan Province, causing traffic to come to a standstill.

The first floor of Bac Kan High school was also flooded.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, medium and heavy rains will continue blanketing northern provinces and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An until Friday.

Source: VNS