VietNamNet Bridge – At least one child and two other people were missing in Dien Bien and Thai Nguyen provinces after flashfloods and landslide ravaged northern mountainous areas over the weekend due to heavy rains.

Heavy rain caused landslides and traffic jams in Sin Ho District, Lai Chau Province. At least one child and two other people are missing in Dien Bien and Thai Nguyen provinces after flashfloods and landslides ravaged northern mountainous areas over the weekend.

In Lao Cai Province, the rain affected most areas yesterday, July 21, with up to 107mm falling in Bao Yen District.

Local authorities have warned that heavy rains could still continue in Lao Cai Province over the next few days. Damage has not been estimated but most of the rice crops were inundated and landslides also caused obstructions on national and provincial highways.

Local authorities helped people move to safe areas and warned residents not to pick up wood and trash in floodwaters due to rising water levels of the Chay River and Coc Ly Hydropower Plant reservoir.

In Ha Giang, landslides, flash floods and heavy rains caused crop and property damage of up to VND16 billion (US$762,000).

Heavy rain caused one house in Dong Van District to collapse and dozens of householders were relocated under a state of emergency. Thousands of crops were inundated in Xin Man District, along with the destruction of 30km of irrigation works in the district.

Landslides also caused obstructions in many part of Ha Giang's vital transport routes, such as road from Ha Giang-Lao Cai, provincial highway Bac Quang-Xin Man and from Xin Man to many communes, such as Nan Xin, Quang Nguyen.

Most of the routes were cleared by yesterday after authorities mobilised resources to remove thousands of square metres of rocks.

The Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control issued an urgent notice on Friday requesting local ministries to monitor vessels about to set sail and continually update skippers of the movement of the depression.

Coastal provinces were responsible for stopping ships from going out to sea if the low intensifies.

All northern and central mountainous provinces needed to examine reservoirs and take preventive measures in areas prone to flooding and landslides. Search and rescue forces were ordered to be at the ready.

The National Committee on Search and Rescue reported that bad weather had caused several accidents at sea over the past several days and many fishermen had been saved by border guard forces and other fishing boats.

On July 19, 13 fishermen were rescued four days after their ship's engine broke down in waters 60 miles to the northeast of Phu Lam Island, Hoang Sa archipelagos.

The National Centre for Hydro Meteorological Forecasting yesterday said the low would affect coastal areas from Binh Thuan to Ca Mau for the next few days.

Source: VNS