Floods kill 1, leave 6 missing, devastate homes in Vietnam’s Lai Chau

According to a rapid report issued by the commune’s police agency, the deceased victim was identified as Lo Van C., 31, from Chit Village.

Six people from Chit Village remain missing, including a mother and her two children.

The extreme weather conditions also injured Lo Van C., 33, and Pham Thanh Hai, 35, both from Chit Village. They are being treated at Than Uyen General Hospital.

Rescue teams also evacuated more than 10 people who had been stranded by the flooding.

As of Friday evening, seven villages, namely Khoang, Ve, Hat Nam, Muong Mit, Chit, Nam Sang, and Sap Ngua, remained isolated, with 880 households and more than 4,600 residents affected.

A total of 385 people have been displaced after their homes were damaged.

At least 13 houses were completely destroyed, while many others were damaged, with authorities still assessing the full extent of the losses.

The floods also caused major transportation disruptions.

An approximately 800-meter section of National Highway 32 near Che Bo and Chit villages was submerged under floodwater, mud, trees and debris, leaving vehicles unable to pass.

A 300-meter section of a rural road connecting Nga Phat and Muong Mit villages also collapsed, cutting off traffic.

Around 200 hectares of crops were damaged after farmland was inundated by floodwater, rocks, mud and fallen timber.

On Friday afternoon, the provincial administration declared a state of emergency in Muong Than Commune due to the disaster.

Authorities mobilized about 500 personnel, including police officers, soldiers, civil servants, teachers, and local residents, to carry out rescue operations and disaster recovery.

Emergency teams have been deployed to the affected areas, closed road sections threatened by landslides and floodwaters, and evacuated residents from areas at risk of further flash floods and landslides.

Local police have also urged residents to avoid fishing or collecting firewood along streams and to closely monitor weather forecasts and disaster warnings.

Later that evening, the Rescue and Salvage Department under the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army issued an emergency dispatch on responding to heavy rain, flash floods, and landslides in northern mountainous provinces including Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and Son La.

Military Region 2 was asked to direct provincial military commands to coordinate with local authorities in accelerating search operations for the missing, evacuating residents and property from dangerous areas, restoring transportation routes, and ensuring the safety of rescue personnel.

The Vietnam Border Guard Command was told to coordinate with commune-level military forces in rescue and disaster response efforts.

The General Staff also ordered the Air Defense-Air Force Service and Corps 18 to prepare aircraft and personnel for search-and-rescue missions and emergency delivery of food and essential supplies to isolated communities when required.

Besides, the Signal Corps and the Military Industry-Telecoms Group were required to stand ready to restore telecommunications services in disaster-hit areas and implement measures to prevent prolonged communication outages during future natural disasters.