At least seven people died and four were injured, while one person was missing after torrential rains hit the northern and north-central regions over the past few days.

The latest report of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said three people died in landslides in Bắc Cạn and Thanh Hoa, while three were swept away by flood waters in Dien Bien and Lao Cai. One person died after being hit by lightning in Ha Tinh.

One person was missing in Lao Cai and four were injured in Yen Bai and Lao Cai following floods.

Torrential rains and more floods destroyed 19 houses, submerged 82 houses, and flooded 512ha of rice and 10ha of other crops in these localities. Landslides hit some national highways and provincial roads.

Head of the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, and leaders of the agriculture and rural development ministry and the national assemblies visited Lao Cai Province to check the situation and provide guidance on measures to help people in the affected areas recover from the aftermath. 

Authorities of these localities mobilised all available forces to search for the missing, treat injured people, visit families of those killed and help local people to quickly resume their normal life.

Heavy rains are expected to continue to hit the region over the next few days, with the total rainfall reaching 150mm-300mm and even exceeding 350mm in some areas, according to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecast Centre.

It warned about the risk of flash floods and landslides in the northern mountainous and northern central regions.

VNS