Thousands evacuated overnight as floodwaters overflow outer dikes in northern Vietnam

Videos shared widely on social media early on Wednesday morning showed powerful flood currents sweeping through residential areas in Tien Luc Commune.

Locals reported that some sections of the outer dike system were overrun by water, sending torrents crashing into homes and rice fields.

Van Tien, a resident of the commune, said rising waters began encroaching on residential areas from Tuesday evening following days of torrential rain.

The rice fields have already been submerged for days, damaging much of the crops, he recounted.

Tran Xuan Cuong, Party secretary of Tien Luc Commune, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday morning that heavy rainfall and upstream water from the Thuong River had overwhelmed parts of the outer dike.

The outer dike acts as a buffer, protecting the main dike system and regulating water, but the overflow still significantly affects residents’ lives, he said.

Authorities began evacuating affected residents and relocating livestock and valuable property to safer places from Tuesday afternoon.

“We anticipated the danger and acted early. By nightfall, people were already being moved to safety to prevent any tragedy,” he said, adding that operations would continue throughout the day to safeguard any remaining residents and belongings.

He said that the commune had received the support from hundreds of soldiers, adding that several parts of the commune remained inundated.

Tien Luc Commune is home to some 60,000 residents.

Elsewhere in Bac Ninh, emergency evacuations were also underway in Hop Thinh Commune as rising levels of the Cau River posed a severe threat.

Residents in the villages of Xuan Giang, Dong Dao, Da Hoi, and Ninh Tao were evacuated overnight.

Authorities prioritized the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities, urging families to bring only essential belongings.

Livestock and valuables were moved to higher ground, while several schools were repurposed as temporary shelters.

Others sought refuge with relatives.

At around 9:30 pm on Tuesday, the provincial Civil Defense Command issued a level-3 flood alert on the Cau River, warning of rapidly rising waters and increasing risk to the dike system.

In response, Hop Thinh Commune opened sluices to release water from the river into outer buffer zones to relieve pressure on the main dike system.

While this helped stabilize water levels, it also resulted in temporary isolation of several villages.

Nguyen Van Khanh, Party secretary of Hop Thinh Commune, said local forces had been mobilized to maintain round-the-clock patrols and ensure continued delivery of food and essential supplies to affected areas.

Some 5,000 residents were temporarily relocated.

The commune has a population of over 72,000.