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A flash flood has destroyed Lang Nu Village in Phuc Khanh Commune, Bao Yen District, Lao Cai Province, Sept. 10, 2024. Photo by Tran Pho Rang |
Tran Trong Thong, Chairman of the Bao Yen District People’s Committee, stated the disaster struck at 6 a.m. in Lang Nu Village, Phuc Khanh Commune, home to 128 people.
The flood unleashed a torrent of debris from a mountain roughly one kilometer away, almost completely obliterating the village, and trapping most of its residents under mud while only 16 people reportedly escaped unscathed.
By 2 p.m. on Tuesday, rescue teams discovered 16 bodies and identified approximately 30 injured survivors.
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A house's interiors are covered in mud after a flash flood in Lao Cai Province, Sept. 10, 2024. Photo by Lao Cai Newspaper |
The affected area, remote and isolated, suffered severed transportation links and a complete breakdown in communication, complicating the rescue efforts.
Bao Yen District is located about 80 km from Sa Pa tourist town, and Phuc Khanh Commune is an additional 40 km from the district center.
The district has deployed around 100 police officers, soldiers, and militiamen to assist in the search for those missing while awaiting further support from provincial authorities and Military Region 2. However, severe landslides forced a pause in search efforts after nightfall.
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Soldiers join search mission for victims of a flash flood in Lao Cai Province, Sept. 10, 2024. Photo by Lao Cai Newspaper |
Trinh Xuan Truong, Chairman of the Lao Cai Province People’s Committee, said the province is currently focusing on treating the injured, locating the missing, managing the affairs of the deceased, and stabilizing the lives of affected residents in the aftermath.
The Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority noted that by 6 p.m. Tuesday, provinces and cities in northern Vietnam had reported 127 people killed and 54 missing due to flooding and landslides triggered by typhoon Yagi, not including those from Bao Yen District.
Lao Cai Province recorded the highest toll, 38 deaths and 13 missing.
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