Floods shut down a bridge in central Nghe An province, causing traffic difficulties. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Downpours triggered by the tropical low pressure system over the past two days have caused serious damage to houses and roads and threatened reservoirs across the north central region.
By 6:00 am on October 11, six deaths (one in Thanh Hoa and five in Nghe An), and three missing (one in Hoa Binh, one in Nghe An and one in Quang Tri), were reported, according to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.
The natural disaster submerged 2,540 houses and collapsed nine others in Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces.
Landslides and flooding were reported along national highways crossing these provinces, including National Highways 15A, 16, 48B, 48D, 48E. Floods broke 28 kilometres of dam at Co Chau Reservoir in Ha Tinh, damaging 145 hectares of rice, 2 hectares of orchards and over 11,600 hectares of other crops.
Heavy rains have filled up almost reservoirs in the region. Nine of 132 large reservoirs, including Cua Dat, Song Muc and Dong Chua in Thanh Hoa, Vuc Mau and Song Sao in Nghe An, Song Rac, Thuong Song Tri and Kim Son in Ha Tinh and Thac Chuoi in Quang Binh, have been releasing water.
Six floodgates of Hoa Binh Reservoir in Hoa Binh province were opened to discharge water seven times from 19:00 on October 10 to 9:00 on October 11.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent an urgent notice to authorities of cities and provinces in northern and northern central Vietnam, directing the implementation of measures to cope with flooding and ensure safety of dams and reservoirs.
He asked the cities and provinces to urgently evacuate households living in areas prone to landslide and flash flood and those at downstream of at-risk dams and reservoirs. They were also urged to approach isolated areas due to floods at any cost to rescue people and provide them with supplies.
Ministries were requested to undertake measures to protect dykes and ensure safety of hydropower reservoirs while military and police forces must be on full alert and ready to evacuate and rescue people in emergency.-VNA
