Vietnam - Flood claims dozen lives, super typhoon arriving

At least 15 people in the central region and Mekong Delta have been killed due to heavy rain and floods over the past few days, local media reports.

Floods killed seven in the central region, with four victims in Quang Binh Province, two in Quang Tri and one from Thua Thien-Hue.

In Quang Ninh Province, strong winds and torrential rain damaged nearly 300 houses while 11 vessels sank and 1,700 hectares of crops were submerged, according to the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control.

In Ha Tinh Province, around 1,900 households in five communes of Vu Quang District were still isolated due to floodwater as of Saturday evening.

Heavy rain also flooded Tan Hoa commune in Quang Binh Province, forcing around 200 people to flee their homes to higher ground in the mountains to avoid the floodwater.

Meanwhile, serious floods claimed eight lives in the Mekong Delta, including four in An Giang Province, one in Dong Thap Province, two children and one adult in Can Tho City. Thousands of families have been forced to leave their homes due to landslide risks.

A dyke was breached in Thi Son Hamlet in Dong Thap’s Tan Hong District on Sunday morning with over 360 hectares of rice crops completely devastated.

Water levels at the upstream Mekong River, Dong Thap Muoi and Long Xuyen Quadrilateral are expected to stay at a record high after easing back.

Last Friday, water levels in the two tributaries of the Mekong River, the Tien River along Tan Chau Town and the Hau River in Chau Doc District reached 4.86 meters and 4.24 meters respectively, or 0.36 and 0.24 meters higher than the third warning level respectively.

The Flood and Storm Control Center in Dong Thap Province said floodwater saw complicated developments and triggered landslides everywhere. Over 6,900 kilometers of road in the province have been submerged, while 24 bridges and over 5,500 homes have been damaged.

Meanwhile, Super Typhoon Nalgae, the most powerful storm to hit the East Sea this year, is expected to move towards north-central Vietnam within the next few days.

According to the national forecast center, the storm was spotted at around 580 kilometers east of Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands on Sunday morning. Gusts near the storm’s eye packed level 12 blowing at 118 to 133 kilometers an hour.

The National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control has sent a warning to local authorities from Quang Ninh to Binh Dinh, asking them to keep vessels ashore and prepare for the new storm.

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