Heavy rains from storm Bualoi force widespread school closures in northern Vietnam

Authorities in north-central Thanh Hoa Province instructed all kindergartens, general education and vocational training institutions to suspend classes as a precaution, the provincial education department said in a statement.

In northern Lao Cai Province, more than 465,000 students were told to stay home following an emergency notice issued late Monday, according to the provincial education and training department.

Similar closures were reported in northern Phu Tho Province, where schools were asked to monitor local weather conditions before deciding whether to resume classes on Wednesday. 

Other provinces including Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Thai Nguyen, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri had already suspended in-person learning since Monday.

In Hanoi, prolonged heavy rain early Tuesday flooded streets across the capital and caused severe traffic congestion during the morning rush hour. 

Several universities, including the Thuongmai University, Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, and the University of Languages and International Studies, shifted classes online for the day.

The closures come as large parts of northern Vietnam continue to experience significant rainfall. 

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported widespread precipitation overnight and into Tuesday morning, with some locations receiving over 150 mm of rain.

Rainfall totals included 161 mm in Lao Cai's Trung Tam 1 station, 133 mm at Tien Nguyen 2 in Tuyen Quang, and 125 mm at Hoa Thuan hydropower station in Cao Bang.

The weather agency forecast continued heavy rain across Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Tuyen Quang on Tuesday, with expected rainfall of 40–80 mm and localized totals exceeding 150 mm. 

Northern provinces and Thanh Hoa were forecast to receive 20–50 mm, with some areas potentially exceeding 100 mm.

Authorities warned of potential flash floods, landslides and localized flooding in mountainous areas over the next several hours.

Storm Bualoi, the 10th storm to enter the East Vietnam Sea this year, made landfall in Ha Tinh Province early Monday, bringing up to 12 hours of strong winds and rain across the Nghe An–Quang Tri region.