The water level of the Red River has been rising sharply in Hanoi in the last few days after torrential rains and the water discharge from the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant reservoir. 

The water level in many parts of the Red River has been rising rapidly since the beginning of the stormy season this month, threatening the lives of island dwellers and those living along the river banks in Hanoi, and submerging their crops.

Prolonged heavy rainfall in the past ten days, and the discharge of water from the Hoa Binh hydro power plant reservoir, raised the water level up to 6.5 metres, iolating those living on river islets and submerging thousands of metres of their crops.

Many households had to make temporary rafts from banana trees as a means of transport to reach the river bank.

Nguyen Van Luong, the son of a migrant family from the central province of Thanh Hoa said his family has been living and planting crops on one of the islets for two years. This year’s water led him to make a temporary boat to row from his house to the mainland. It took him about 25 minutes to get to the mainland. On rainy days, it took him nearly an hour to row across the fast-flowing water.

According to the National Hydro Meteorological Forecasting Centre, the country’s northern region, including Ha Noi, and central region are likely to experience heavy rainfall in the coming days when Sonca, the fourth storm of this year, hits Viet Nam today.

Residents of an alluvial islet have have been anxiously monitoring the water level and trying to carry on with their lives amid the chaos wrought by the flooding. Vietnam News reporter Doan Tung reports through his lens.

VNS