Floods shut down a bridge in central Nghe An province, causing traffic difficulties. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Downpours triggeredby the tropical low pressure system over the past two days have caused serious damageto houses and roads and threatened reservoirs across the northcentral region.
By 6:00 am on October 11, six deaths (onein Thanh Hoa and five in Nghe An), and three missing (one in Hoa Binh, one inNghe An and one in Quang Tri), were reported, according to the Central SteeringCommittee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.
The natural disaster submerged 2,540houses and collapsed nine others in Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinhprovinces.
Landslides and flooding were reportedalong national highways crossing these provinces, including National Highways 15A,16, 48B, 48D, 48E. Floods broke 28 kilometres of dam at Co Chau Reservoir in HaTinh, damaging 145 hectares of rice, 2 hectares of orchards and over 11,600hectares of other crops.
Heavy rains have filled up almost reservoirsin the region. Nine of 132 large reservoirs, including Cua Dat, Song Muc andDong Chua in Thanh Hoa, Vuc Mau and Song Sao in Nghe An, Song Rac, Thuong SongTri and Kim Son in Ha Tinh and Thac Chuoi in Quang Binh, have been releasingwater.
Six floodgates of Hoa Binh Reservoirin Hoa Binh province were opened to discharge water seven times from 19:00 onOctober 10 to 9:00 on October 11.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent anurgent notice to authorities of cities and provinces in northern and northerncentral Vietnam, directing the implementation of measures to cope with floodingand ensure safety of dams and reservoirs.
He asked the cities and provinces tourgently evacuate households living in areas prone to landslide and flash floodand those at downstream of at-risk dams and reservoirs. They were also urged toapproach isolated areas due to floods at any cost to rescue people and providethem with supplies.
Ministries were requested to undertakemeasures to protect dykes and ensure safety of hydropower reservoirs whilemilitary and police forces must be on full alert and ready to evacuate andrescue people in emergency.-VNA
