Heavy rain causes inundation in Yen Bai province (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Teeming rain, deluge together with whirlwinds claimed two lives and caused substantial property damage in northern provinces, according to a report from the office of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.
In Son La province, heavy rain on May 23-24 seriously damaged 46 houses, 184.4 hectares of rice, three hectares of coffee, 32.4 hectares of fishing ponds, two schools, 400 metres of embankments and more than three kilometres of rural roads.
A whirlwind that occurred on May 25 in Bach Thuan commune, Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province blew off the roofs of five houses while uprooting 145 trees and ornamental plants.
As of May 27, torrential rainfall was recorded in Hanoi city and Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Thai Nguyen provinces. A deluge in Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province killed a 26-year-old woman while a 47 year-old farmer who was working in the field died after being struck by lightening.
Hundreds of houses were inundated and many others were swallowed due to landslide. More than 9,000 hectares of rice and other crops as well as hundreds of hectares of aquaculture cultivation were destroyed.
Provincial Search, Rescue and Flood Prevention Steering Committees have carried out measures to help local people overcome consequences and evaluate the losses.
Meanwhile, rainfall has lessened the prolonged drought and saltwater intrusion situation in the Central Highlands, South Central and Mekong Delta regions. Localities continue to hoard up water for crop production.
According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast from Binh Thuan province to Ca Mau as a tropical low pressure area and strong southwestern monsoon converge.-VNA
