Two communes in Hanoi's former Soc Son District, Trung Gia and Da Phuc, bordering the flood-battered Thai Nguyen Province, were hit hardest. Flooding began Wednesday night as water from the Cau and Ca Lo rivers surged into the areas.
As of early Friday, the Cau River at Luong Phuc station in Trung Gia Commune reached 10.15 meters, exceeding the third-level warning—the highest alert—by more than two meters. Thousands of homes were flooded, with the deepest areas reaching 1.5 meters.
The floods followed torrential rains from Typhoon Matmo, which weakened into a tropical depression on Monday as it approached northern Vietnam.
On National Highway 3, about 39 km from Hanoi, a 200-meter section was submerged to a depth of 1.5 meters, while a 500-meter stretch from the Viet Tin factory to Xuan Son cultural house reached 1.2 meters before receding by Friday noon. Warning signs were placed in the deepest areas to alert vehicles.
Authorities from the city and the Ministry of National Defense continued responding to dyke breaches and flooding in Trung Gia and Da Phuc communes Friday morning. Over 1,500 households outside the dykes have been evacuated, with approximately 6,500 people moved to safe locations such as cultural houses, schools, and health stations.
Trung Gia Commune now has 18 isolated villages, affecting more than 4,000 households and 16,400 residents.
Nguyen Thi Thao (right), 25, moved her two children to her mother’s house, using help from rescuers. She said: “The road in front of my house is flooded up to my neck, and the kids’ school is also flooded, so I’m taking them to a safe place.”
Dinh Van Vang, wearing a hat numbered 116, and other members of a rescue team carried an elderly woman out of the flooded area. “We prioritize evacuating the elderly and children, while men stay behind to guard their homes,” he said.
By early Friday, over 4,000 families in Trung Gia had been safely evacuated, with boats and specialized vehicles assisting remaining residents to temporary shelters.
In Da Phuc Commune, nearly 1,000 hectares of agricultural land were submerged, including more than 540 hectares of rice fields.
Rescue teams have been distributing food and drinking water to affected families, while Hanoi Command and local police coordinate evacuation efforts.
Approximately 38,500 people in flooded areas are planned to be accommodated in schools, cultural houses, and military or police camps. In Trung Gia, over 5,800 people still need evacuation, while in Da Phuc, around 30,000 people may need relocation if water levels continue to rise.
