Flooding isolates mountain villages in Vietnam’s Hue as heavy rain pounds region

In the mountainous commune of A Luoi 2, local authorities said strong flows from upstream caused water to quickly rise across low-lying areas, with many village roads inundated 0.5-1 meter deep.

Fast-moving currents made it impossible for residents to travel between villages.

Phan Duy Khanh, chairman of the commune administration, said the Ho Chi Minh Highway section running through the commune was flooded early in the morning, with water sweeping soil and rocks onto the roadway.

“We have placed barriers, posted warning signs, and asked people not to cross dangerous points," he added.

“If heavy rain persists, the risk of landslides is very high.” 

At Son Thuy Pagoda, run-off from the hills poured down like a waterfall, carrying rocks and debris that buried parts of the local road. Residents worked in the rain to clear the debris to prevent accidents.

A serious landslide also struck a section of National Highway 49, causing a temporary traffic halt.

Ho Xuan Hoang, a resident of A Luoi 2, said several roads in the area were submerged within three hours.

“It’s still raining hard. If this continues, water levels will rise much faster,” he said.

Authorities have stationed response teams at all high-risk locations and are prohibiting people and vehicles from entering areas with strong currents or deep flooding.

According to the city’s Civil Defense Steering Committee, a renewed cold-air surge is forecast to bring widespread heavy rainfall, strong winds at sea, and an increased likelihood of flooding, landslides and severe cold between November 15 and 19.

Hue is expected to receive 300-600mm of rain through Wednesday, with mountainous areas possibly exceeding 800mm.

Rainfall is forecast to peak on Monday and Tuesday, posing risks of flash floods and deep flooding in low-lying areas.

In preparation, the Binh Dien hydropower plant upstream of the Huong River was ordered to increase discharge to 800-1,500m³/s to receive incoming floodwaters.

A few days ago, the Huong Dien hydropower plant on the Bo River and the Ta Trach reservoir on the Huong River also released water to lower reservoir levels.