Northern Vietnam hydropower dam collapse causes $1.9mn in damage

According to a quick report from the commune's civil defense steering committee, continuous rainfall from Monday to Tuesday morning caused a sharp rise in water levels.

At 12:00 pm on Tuesday, both inflow and outflow at the reservoir reached 1,562 cubic meters per second.

By 1:30 pm, the dam gave way, creating a breach about four to five meters long and four meters deep.

Preliminary assessments indicate that prolonged downpours pushed the reservoir to capacity, causing part of the concrete structure at the water gate to collapse.

The control room and its electrical systems were also heavily damaged, though no casualties were reported.

Authorities immediately issued warnings to residents in surrounding areas and downstream communes, including That Khe, Trang Dinh, Khang Chien, and Quoc Viet, urging evacuations from high-risk zones.

Police, military, and rescue teams were quickly mobilized for emergency response.

Flooding also disrupted traffic along sections of National Highway 3B, which connects Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, and Tuyen Quang Provinces, making rescue and transport operations difficult.

Later on Tuesday, Doan Thanh Son, vice-chairman of the Lang Son provincial administration, led an inspection team to assess response efforts in That Khe and Trang Dinh Communes, two of the most affected areas downstream.

He directed agencies to closely monitor rainfall and flooding, safeguard residents and property, and maintain emergency forces on 24-hour alert.

Son also instructed the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Department of Industry and Trade to reinforce dam safety and protect agricultural production and livestock.

The provincial military command was ordered to deploy more personnel and equipment for flood control, landslide prevention, and post-disaster recovery.