Heavy rains will continued to fall in northern provinces over the next few days and cause the areas to be at high risk for floods and landslides, according to the Central Hydro meteorological Forecast Centre.
The centre said authorities of localities should take measures against floods to minimise human and property losses.
Heavy rains over the past few days have already caused both human and property damage in the northern region. Statistics on the damage would be available in the next few days, reported the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control.
Heavy rains triggered a landslide which killed two people in Bac Kan province and blocked traffic in a section of National Highway 3 which links Bac Kan and Hanoi.
The Cau River in Bac Kan province is on watch with waters having already risen to surpass the alarm level of 50 cm.
Local authorities have been working to repair damage and have evacuated people from areas at high risk for landslides.
Heavy rains inundated more than 5 ha of rice, 4ha of other crops and 1 ha of aquaculture in Yen Bai province’s Tran Yen District, causing an estimated loss of 100 million VND (5,600 USD).
Lightning has also been a problem; it has struck and killed six and injured 12 other farmers harvesting rice during a thunderstorm in central Nghe An province May 16. Farmers are being warned not to stay in their fields during thunderstorms./.
Deputy minister urges early action on disaster risks
Rapidly shifting climate conditions and increasingly overlapping hazards mean disaster risk reduction can no longer stand alone; it must sit at the heart of sustainable development, tightly integrated with climate response, water security, social welfare and economic growth.
