Flash floods and landslides kill at least 4 in northern Vietnam, 4 missing as heavy rains continue
At least four people died and four others are missing after a flash flood swept through Muong Than village in Lai Chau province early Friday, with heavy rains triggering landslides across northern Vietnam.
Flash flood strikes Muong Than village
Early Friday morning, a flash flood swept through Muong Than village in Lai Chau province after days of heavy rain. The Phuc Than monitoring station recorded 206mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday, with most falling overnight. The torrent of water surged down mountains more than 1,000 metres high, collapsing several two-storey homes and tearing apart sections of a major highway linking communities in north-west Vietnam, according to a VnExpress report. The flood left at least four people dead and four others missing, including a 10-year-old girl, local police said. Seven others were injured.
Rescue and search operations
More than 200 police officers and 500 rescue personnel were deployed to search for survivors and evacuate residents from areas at risk of further landslides. Among those caught in the flooding was a family of four whose home was swept away. The father was found more than a kilometre downstream with a broken leg, while rescuers continued searching for his wife and two children. In another village, an elderly woman and her four grandchildren were trapped when a landslide buried their house but were rescued alive by emergency responders. Lai Chau province has been placed under a state of emergency to facilitate rescue efforts.
Widespread damage across the region
The heavy rains, which began on Wednesday, have triggered landslides and flash floods across four mountainous provinces in northern Vietnam. More than 238 hectares of rice fields and other crops were damaged, and livestock and poultry were killed or swept away. In Chit village, 15 homes were swept away, and vehicles were buried beneath rocks, mud, and fallen trees, VietnamNet Global reported. In neighbouring Son La province, landslides destroyed three homes and damaged 14 others. Roads, power grids, and hundreds of houses were affected, cutting off communities. Images from the state news agency VNA showed streets covered in red mud and water, with large rocks and logs piled on a damaged road.
More rain forecast, warnings issued
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that northern Vietnam is expected to receive another 60mm to 120mm of rain through Sunday, with isolated areas forecast to receive more than 250mm. The government's disaster management agency cautioned that additional downpours could trigger more flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas. The rainy season in Vietnam typically peaks from July through September, and the country is frequently hit by deadly storms and floods.
- Heavy rains begin across northern Vietnam.
- Flash flood hits Muong Than village, Lai Chau province.
- 500 rescuers deployed; search for missing begins.
- Lai Chau province declared state of emergency.
- Up to 250mm of rain forecast for Saturday; warnings of more flash floods.
Broader disaster toll
Natural disasters between January and June have already killed at least 30 people in Vietnam and caused more than $21.7 million in damage, according to the disaster management authority. Last year, natural disasters, mostly floods, killed 489 people. Scientists say climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and destructive in the region.
