The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) on December 12 issued a warning of torrential rains, which may occur in the central provinces, stretching from Quang Binh to Khanh Hoa. 

A local resident pushes a motorbike through floodwaters in Loc Tri Commune, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien-Hue Province

The rains are forecast to last until December 16, with rainfall measuring between 50mm and 100mm, even exceeding 150mm in some areas.

Localities from Quang Tri to northern Phu Yen will likely see rainfall ranging from 250mm to 350mm, or over 400mm due to the impact of intensified cold air masses, according to Thanh Nien newspaper, citing data from the NCHMF.

Heavy rains are forecast to trigger wide-scale floods at rivers in the provinces of Quang Binh to Phu Yen, reaching three to six meters high in upstream areas and two to four meters high in downstream regions. The floods may exceed alert level 3.

Moreover, from Quang Binh to Phu Yen, flashfloods and landslides may strike the mountainous areas, while low-lying and urban areas may suffer flooding.

Regarding fatalities caused by weather extremes in the central region, data from the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control revealed that 13 people residing in Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh were killed as of 17:00 on December 12. Meanwhile, one local resident in Quang Ngai remains missing to date.

On the same day, Quang Nam Irrigation Exploitation Co., Ltd, notified the competent agencies and local authorities in Quang Nam Province that it intended to discharge water from Phu Ninh reservoir, provoking concern among local residents living in the downstream areas.

According to Nguyen Van Hai, a resident of the province’s Tam Ky City, the water discharge might cause flooding in his area to worsen. The current floodwaters have yet to ebb, he noted.

Responding to this concern, Nguyen Dinh Hai, director of the Quang Nam firm, reassured the local people that there was nothing to worry about, as the reservoir only discharges a minimal volume of water, which would raise water levels in the downstream areas by merely one to three centimeters.

SGT