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Viet Nam

Viet Nam: Heavy rains cause huge damage to the agricultural sector

Torrential rains and floods have submerged tens of thousands of hectares of winter crops and houses while causing traffic jams and huge losses for agricultural production.

In northern Ha Nam province: According to the provincial steering committee for flood prevention and control, on November 2, the water level of the Nhue River measured at 4.61 m, 51 cm above its alarm level.

The province has mobilized 1,500 local people and used 7,000 sand bags to prevent water from overflowing into the provincal centre.

In northern Hai Duong province, many water drainage systems were damaged while roads and houses were deeply inundated.

By 6 pm on November 2, the flooding situation remained complicated, having a negative impact on local people's lives. In addition, whirlwinds unroofed 32 houses and two aquaculture farms.

*** In north-central Thanh Hoa province, due to heavy rains and floods, the Buoi River in Thach Dinh village, Thach Thanh district, overflowed its banks. By November 2, more than 4,530 houses and 4,300ha of winter crops were submerged. Parts of many roads were washed away. Water levels in Buoi and Cau Chay rivers reached the highest point. Thanh Hoa province is mobilising all sources to overcome the consequences of floods and provided necessary food and equipment to local people. Provincial leaders visited key areas and urged relevant agencies to prepare human and material resources and to patrol important dykes to cope with unexpected floods.

*** The Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that on October 2, the Huu Tich Dyke in Ha Bang village, Thach That district which was broken was repaired. The municipal board for flood, prevention and control has mobilised resources to deal with landslides and overflow. The department has directed irrigation companies to pump water to Hong and Day rivers to save submerged rice crops. Many parts of Tich, Bui, Day, Nhue, and My Ha rivers have overflowed and water levels in most water reservoirs are 1-2m higher than overflow level.

*** The rivers in the central provinces are likely to experience heavy floods while north-western and northern mountainous provinces should be on guard for flash floods.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, more rains are expected to hit the northern and central provinces in the next few days. These provinces should prepare for flash floods, landslides and rising water levels. Currently, flood water are receding slowly from the Hoang Long river while the Cau, Thuong and Thai Binh rivers still remain at their highest levels.