Closer look at historic floods in Vietnam’s Lang son
In what is being described as the most severe flood in history, torrential waters have swept through multiple communes in Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam, submerging thousands of homes and forcing residents to flee for their lives.
The floodwaters began receding slowly on Thursday morning, yet several communes, including Van Nham, Huu Lung, and Yen Binh, remained isolated and heavily inundated.
In Tan Nhien Village under Van Nham Commune, hundreds of rooftops are barely visible above the muddy water, with entire neighborhoods cut off from emergency access.
The catastrophe followed the rupture of the Bac Khe 1 hydropower dam just two days earlier.
The breach, combined with persistent heavy rains, triggered a rapid and powerful surge of water downstream.
Bac Khe Commune, located roughly 10 kilometers away, was among the worst affected, with water levels reaching up to three meters in some locations.
Many homes have collapsed under the force of the water, while nearly 3,000 more have been flooded, with depths ranging from 30 centimeters to two meters.
As of Thursday morning, several places had remained isolated.
Transportation in and out of several villages has been cut off, while hospitals were also hit, with floodwaters reaching halfway up their first floors.
The flooding has turned residents’ daily activities upside down.
The historic flood inundates thousands of houses in Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Truong Son
Some 200 houses are severely flooded in Tan Nhien Village, Van Nham Commune, Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Than Hoang / Tuoi Tre
On Wednesday, four military helicopters, operated by the Air Defense–Air Force Service, were dispatched from Hanoi, delivering nearly nine metric tons of relief supplies to the worst-hit areas, including Yen Binh, Van Nham, Huu Lung, and Tuan Son Communes, where thousands remained surrounded by floodwaters.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc visited the affected areas to inspect the damage and encourage local residents and emergency crews responding to the disaster in Lang Son.
According to the national weather center, flood levels on the Trung River at the Huu Lung station reached their peak on Wednesday afternoon, but have since been receding very slowly.
On Thursday morning, water levels remained over a meter higher than the historic record set in 1986 and were still some 4.7 meters above the third-level flood warning threshold.
Authorities warn that significant improvement is unlikely for at least two to three more days.
Rising floodwaters engulf Van Nham Commune in Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Than Hoang / Tuoi Tre
Children remain stranded on a rooftop due to severe flooding in Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Nong Loan
Only the rooftops of houses remain visible above the floodwaters in Van Nham Commune, Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Than Hoang / Tuoi Tre
Only the rooftops of houses remain visible above the floodwaters in Van Nham Commune, Lang Son Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Than Hoang / Tuoi Tre
A man lies on the rooftop of his flooded house. Photo: Supplied
Police officers and soldiers use boats to save people trapped in a flood-hit area, October 7, 2025. Photo: Khanh Linh
Rescuers save an elderly woman trapped in a flooded home. Photo: Khanh Linh
Tieu Bac - Than Hoang / Tuoi Tre News
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