Heavy rain floods 38 homes, damages roads in Vietnam's Lao Cai

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported showers and scattered thunderstorms across mountainous areas of northern Vietnam from Friday night to the morning of Saturday, with locally heavy to torrential rain.

Rainfall reached 194 millimeters in Hong Thu in Lai Chau Province, 164 millimeters in Cao Son in Lao Cai Province, 156 millimeters in Can Yen in Cao Bang Province and 143 millimeters in Phuc Yen in Tuyen Quang Province.

As of 7:45 am on Saturday, heavy rain had affected homes in nine hamlets in the central area and the Na Hoi and Thai Giang Pho areas of Bac Ha Commune, Lao Cai Province.

Floodwater entered 38 homes, while one house suffered a collapsed wall and another was affected by soil sliding against its wall.

Flooding also disrupted traffic at the September 20 Bridge, a low-water crossing and the Ta Chai Bridge area.

Several crop-growing areas were inundated and damaged.

In Cao Son Commune, Lao Cai Province, mud and floodwater entered two homes in La Pan Tan and Ta Thang hamlets.

Landslides damaged several roads in the commune.

About 60 cubic meters of soil and rocks slid onto Provincial Road 154 in Pa Cheo Phin Hamlet, while floodwater submerged a low-water crossing in Ngai Phong Cho Hamlet to a depth of nearly two meters, blocking traffic.

Multiple landslides occurred along the Cao Son-Lung Cheng route and the section connecting the former Sang Lung Cheng Hamlet with the former Sa Lung Cheng Hamlet, displacing an estimated 1,290 cubic meters of soil and rocks.

A landslide also damaged a 60-meter section of the La Pan Tan-Muong Lum route.

The People's Committees of Bac Ha and Cao Son ordered local forces to inspect affected areas, assess damage and follow Vietnam's "four-on-the-spot" disaster response principle, which requires local authorities to take charge and mobilize local personnel, equipment, supplies and logistics to deal with emergencies.

Commune police and military personnel were deployed at low-water crossings and landslide sites to warn residents, regulate traffic and assist affected households.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting forecast scattered showers and thunderstorms across northern and north-central Vietnam on Saturday, with rainfall of 10 millimeters to 30 millimeters and locally more than 80 millimeters.

A stronger cold air mass is expected to move into Vietnam on Sunday.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to experience further showers and scattered thunderstorms, with locally heavy rain, from the evening of November 8 to the morning of November 9.

The rain is then expected to move into central Vietnam.

From the night of November 8 to the night of November 9, areas from southern Nghe An Province to northern Quang Tri Province are forecast to receive 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters of rain, with some locations recording more than 300 millimeters.

From November 9 to the night of November 11, Hue, Da Nang cities and eastern Quang Ngai Province are forecast to receive 250 millimeters to 450 millimeters of rain, with locally more than 700 millimeters.

Southern Quang Tri Province and eastern areas of Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces are expected to receive 150 millimeters to 300 millimeters of rain, with locally more than 400 millimeters.

The weather agency warned that thunderstorms could bring whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong wind gusts, damaging crops, trees, homes, roads and infrastructure.

Localized heavy rain could also trigger flash floods in small rivers and streams, landslides on steep slopes and flooding in low-lying areas.