Vietnam’s Lam Dong activates emergency response as 1,750 households isolated, dozens of boats sink

Le Trong Yen, vice-chairman of the provincial administration, on Thursday directed rescuers and forces to accelerate response measures as floodwaters rose sharply across the Binh Thuan area, known as former Binh Thuan Province.

The new Lam Dong Province was formed by merging the old province with the former Binh Thuan and Dak Nong Provinces in July.

According to rapid assessments, severe flooding has affected 1,750 households, with 300 households in Ham Liem Commune, 400 homes in Song Luy Commune, more than 1,000 households (300 already evacuated) in Lien Huong Commune, and 50 in Ham Thuan Commune.

Local officials reported that dozens of fishing boats had sunk or been swept out to sea.

Many more are in danger and require urgent rescue operations.

The provincial administration instructed the authorities of communes and wards to swiftly evacuate all residents from flooded and high-risk areas.

Local authorities must maintain around-the-clock emergency operations and deploy forces strategically, prioritizing the elderly, children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups.

Temporary shelters must be established rapidly, and equipped with sufficient food, clean water, electricity, medical care, and other essential goods.

Rescue teams were tasked with supporting residents in areas where water levels are rising quickly or where landslides may occur, while search-and-rescue efforts continue at sea.

Communes, wards, and special zones must instruct fishermen to secure their vessels and strictly prohibit any boats from putting to sea under dangerous conditions.

To mitigate the risk of worsening floods, operators of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs were ordered to adhere strictly to water-release regulations.

They must also promptly inform downstream communities of any flood-discharge schedules and take proactive steps to drain water where possible.

Boats sunk, farmland flooded

A rapid report from the People’s Committee of Lien Huong Commune, part of the former Binh Thuan Province, indicated that torrential rain, combined with water discharge of up to 1,200 cubic meters per second from Binh Thuan Water Resources Exploitation Limited Company - Tuy Phong Branch, has inundated a large area.

The commune reported that 13 boats moored at Lien Huong Port had sunk, and 25 other vessels broke free from their anchors and drifted.

Over 100 hectares of farmland along the riverbanks of the Long Song River are submerged under more than 1.5 meters of water.

Preliminary losses in Lien Huong alone were estimated at more than VND30 billion (US$1.1 million).