4 dead in flash flood in northern Vietnam

Floodwaters carrying soil and rocks from a mountain stream rushed down into the district's Tan Luot Village, Dong Phuc Commune at around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, after more than two hours of heavy rain. Villagers hurriedly fled upon hearing the roaring noise.

"The stream where the flash flood occurred is usually low in water but last night [Saturday night], heavy rain caused the water to rise and flood the residential area," said Lan Vy, who resides in the commune. "My family and I managed to escape, but our sundry shop was swept away."

On Sunday morning, the road running through the village was covered with soil and rocks.

Flash flood aftermath in northern Bac Kan Province's Ba Be district. Photo by Bac Kan

At about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, heavy rain also triggered a flash flood in Yen Duong Commune in the same district, causing one house to collapse, killing two people and injuring one.

Nong Ngoc Duyen, chairman of the district People's Committee, said rescue teams are divided into two groups to approach the two flash flood sites to search for the missing victim.

Besides casualties, many properties and crops have also been damaged and are currently being assessed.

The Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority has sent a team to coordinate with local authorities in directing efforts to address the flash flood aftermath.

On the morning of May 16, a landslide from a slope struck a hydropower construction site in Phong Tho District, northern Lai Chau Province, resulting in five deaths and four people injured.

In the past three days, the northern region has experienced thunderstorms and heavy rain in some areas due to the influence of a low-pressure trough combined with the southeast winds of a maritime air mass.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting recorded 215 mm of rainfall in Yen Duong from 7 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.

The northern region is forecast to continue experiencing rainfall of 30-70 mm, or even exceeding 100 mm in some localities, on Sunday afternoon and night.

The center warned that heavy rainfall exceeding 80 mm within three hours could trigger flash floods and landslides in many places.