Severe rainfall leaves 3 dead in Vietnam

Two buses trapped between two landslide points on National Highway 32, July 21, 2024. Photo by Yen Bai Toan Canh

According to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, among the three casualties is a 55-year-old woman in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, who was fatally struck by lightning while working in the fields on Saturday afternoon.

In the central province of Nghe An, two individuals were swept away by floodwaters, with one body recovered, accounting for the second fatality. The third death occurred in Lam Dong, a Central Highlands province, where a landslide buried a house, killing one person and injuring another.

The heavy rain has also caused landslides that blocked numerous routes and paralyzed traffic.

A convergence zone related to a storm over the South China Sea intensified the rainfall in the northern province of Yen Bai from Saturday night into Sunday. The province’s Cao Pha District received 155 mm of rain, while Dai Son Commune received nearly 110 mm.

Landslides have particularly affected National Highway 32, the main road linking Hanoi with the mountainous province of Lai Chau through Yen Bai, leading to significant traffic congestion.

On Sunday morning, landslides at nine different points along nearly one kilometer of this highway in Mu Cang Chai district moved over 2,100 cubic meters of soil and rocks, stranding many vehicles. Although road maintenance crews were deployed early, the large volume of debris postponed clearing efforts until 1:30 p.m.

Further road damage was reported in the province, with landslides affecting inter-village and inter-communal roads in Mu Cang Chai and Van Yen districts. The province also suffered damage to 13 houses and several crop areas.

In the northwestern Lao Cai province, Thanh Phu commune in Sa Pa town received nearly 110 mm of rain. Several landslides in Sa Pa disrupted roads, including those leading to the Cat Cat tourism area in Phan Si Pang ward.

A tourist bus crashes into a dirt field in Lao Cai due to heavy rain on July 21, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Tuan Coc

A 45-seat tourist bus holding Ho Chi Minh City’s plate, traveling on National Highway 4D towards Lao Cai, slid off a slippery slope and crashed into a roadside dirt field on Sunday morning, fortunately without causing injuries.

Vietnam’s meteorological agency forecasts that on Sunday night, the Central Highlands and southeast regions will experience 20-50 mm of rain, with some areas receiving over 100 mm. The northern, central, and southwest regions are expected to receive less precipitation. The northwest region is forecasted to receive 10-30 mm of rain, with some areas receiving over 60 mm.

Flash floods and landslides remain risks in mountainous areas, while low-lying and urban regions could experience flooding.