QUANG NINH (VNS) — The People's Committee of Quang Ninh northern province today held an online meeting with local authorities to co-ordinate work to repair damage caused by torrential rains over the last two days.
The committee's chairman, Nguyen Duc Long, said this is the largest rainfall in the province in 40 years, measuring nearly 600mm.
The two-day rainfall caused floods in cities and areas, including Ha Long, Dong Trieu, Uong Bi, Cam Pha, Van Don, and Hoanh Bo, Long said.
The rainfall in some places rose to 2m-high. Many areas in the districts of Van Don and Cam Pha are still difficult to access to rescue inhabitants.
For areas with high risks of landslides, the chairman required local authorities to move residents and tourists to safe places.
He also asked authorities to immediately check areas to take prompt measurements and provide support to local residents.
Local authorities also need to increase the forces in places to provide timely rescues, and repair damage.
The flash-floods caused by torrential rains yesterday claimed three lives and caused substantial property damage in provinces.
By 11pm yesterday, the deluge killed a 27-year-old woman and her two children residing in Mong Duong ward of Cam Pha city, local authorities said.
The rain also flooded hundreds of houses, roads, and caused landslides in some districts.
The local authorities, in collaboration with the army, moved hundreds of households to safe places.
Also, Deputy chairman of the People's Committee Nguyen Duc Long went to the flooded areas to monitor conditions and deal with the damage.
According to the report from local authorities, the rainfall in Cam Pha township inundated many areas, such as National Road 18A and Cam Phu, Cam Son and Mong Duong wards, where water reached as high as the second floor of some houses.
Yesterday, 260 millimetres of rainfall were recorded in Quang Ninh's Cua Ong ward, 200 millimetres in Ha Long city and Van Don district, and some 100 millimetres in Dong Trieu town.
Since more than 200 houses in Viet Hung ward of Ha Long city were flooded, the city is planning evacuations and temporary power cuts to ensure safety.
The local authorities warn that neither people or vehicles can venture near the rivers and streams.
Also, fishing boats are not being allowed to sail.
Driving rains, which are forecast to continue for the next several days, caused landslides and led to housing collapses in some residential areas, such as Hong Gai, Bach Dang, Tran Hung Dao, Ha Lam and Ha Trung wards of Ha Long city.
Local residents are continuing to monitor the complicated changes of weather.
According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorology Forecast, a low pressure trough crossing the north of Viet Nam has caused torrential rains with an average rainfall of between 30-60 millimetres since Saturday.
The centre predicted prolonged heavy rains in the region and warned northeast provinces, such as Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan and Bac Giang, about flash floods and landslides.
In northern mountainous areas, rainfall over several days caused landslides in the provinces of Lai Chau, and Son La, leading to dozens of homes being damaged.
In Son La province, heavy rain caused serious landslides in many districts of Quynh Nhai, Thuan Chau, and Muong La.
"Currently, the rain has stopped, but we still continue to monitor the affected areas to prevent erosion and are willing to relocate affected households to safe places," Lo Mai Kien, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee, told the Voice of Viet Nam. — VNS