Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

By Vo Thanh   October 28, 2024 | 10:58 pm PT
Continuous heavy rains as impacted by Tropical Storm Trami have caused severe flooding in central Quang Binh Province, submerging tens of thousands of homes, cutting off villages, and forcing mass evacuations as water levels nearly reached rooftops.
Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

As of Monday afternoon, over 28,340 households in Quang Binh have been affected by the flooding, with 15,800 households in Le Thuy District, 11,540 in Quang Ninh District, and 1,000 in Dong Hoi City.

The floods have isolated 58 villages.

Floodwaters have submerged 84 locations along the province's roadways, including five points on National Highway 1, where flood depths have reached up to 60 cm. An 800-meter stretch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway, runs from the north to the south of Vietnam, passing through Truong Thuy Commune in Le Thuy District is also underwater, with the deepest point reaching 80 cm.

This marks the second major flood to hit Quang Binh, home to world's largest cave Son Doong, in the last four years, following a similar incident in October 2020.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

Floodwaters in the Kien Giang River have reached rooftop levels in Loc Thuy and An Thuy communes, Le Thuy District, causing widespread damage.

Le Thuy, in southern Quang Binh, is the hardest hit, with over 15,800 homes submerged.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

Lien Thuy Primary School was inundated with over half a meter of water, prompting authorities to close all schools in Le Thuy District for safety.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

Boats are being used to navigate in the district's center, while local forces have been deployed to high-risk areas, including Van Thuy, Thai Thuy, and the low-lying communes of Phong Thuy, Loc Thuy, An Thuy, and Phu Tho, to assist residents in relocating to safer locations.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

One family in Le Thuy District used a boat to transport essential items out of their home as the water level approached the roof.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

Soldiers and militia in Quang Ninh District evacuate residents from houses at risk of deep flooding.

Photo by Nguyen Chien

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

In Quang Ninh District, where 4,020 households are flooded, residents have been moving by boat to higher and safer areas.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

A family is evacuated on a coracle.

Photo by Nguyen Chien

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

In Le Thuy's Cam Thuy Commune, National Highway 1 is submerged by over a meter, making it impassable for vehicles.

Quang Binh has experienced continuous rainfall over the past three days due to the combined impact of Storm Tra Mi and a cold front from the north.

From 7 p.m. Sunday to 5 p.m. Monday, rainfall reached 370-430 mm in the province.

Trami made landfall in Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang in central Vietnam last Sunday morning with winds reaching up to 88 kph.

The sixth storm to hit Vietnamese waters this year, it has claimed three lives and left one missing.

Storm Trami floodwaters near rooftops in central Vietnam

Heavy rainfall has caused water levels to rise rapidly.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, the water level on the Kien Giang River reached 10.92 meters. At Le Thuy station, the water level reached 3.98 meters. High tides at the mouth of the Nhat Le River have further prevented floodwaters from draining into the sea.

In the accompanying photo, vehicles are seen congested on Kien Giang Bridge, which crosses the Kien Giang River into the center of Le Thuy, with water levels less than a meter below the bridge deck.

According to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, heavy rainfall was recorded from southern Ha Tinh to Thua Thien Hue, including Quang Binh, with amounts ranging from 100 to 150 mm, and reaching up to 200 mm in some areas from Monday night to early Tuesday.

On Tuesday, moderate to heavy rain is expected in the region from Ha Tinh to Da Nang, with forecasted rainfall between 50 and 100 mm, and over 200 mm in certain locations.

For Wednesday, the forecast indicates moderate to heavy rain from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai, with some areas experiencing very heavy rainfall. The expected rainfall ranges from 30 to 60 mm, with some places seeing more than 120 mm.

 
 
go to top