Floods wreak havoc in central region

Flash flood coming down from Dong Tranh Mountain damaged thousands of houses in Quang Ngai Province's Binh Son District. More than 1,500 households were isolated and a road was ripped apart. Two people were killed and 11 reported injured in the flooding. - Photo Tien Tri

According to the Quang Ngai Provincial Committee for Flood and Storm Control, Binh Son District was the worst hit region.

Nearly 3,000 houses in the district were flooded. Flood waters pulled down 19 houses, damaged schools, rice fields and cereal crops, and swept away animals and poultry.

The Binh Son District People's Committee estimated the total loss at VND58 billion ($3 million).

Floods also caused landslides and blocked traffic routes linking Binh Son District with National Highway 1A.

Thousands of passengers moving between the North and South got stuck in Quang Ngai Province because of the storm's effects.

"Many passengers and I were wrestling with idle time waiting for flood water to recede," said Nguyen Bay, who travelled to Ho Chi Minh City by bus to visit his ill son.

Son Binh Bridge that crosses To Hap River was buried in soil, isolating Son Lam and Thanh Son communes in Khanh Son mountainous district.

About 6,000, mostly ethnic people, live in the two communes.

According to the Khanh Son District People's Committee, local donors have provided 19 tonnes of rice to the two communes.

More than 330ha of the district's cereal crops were completely damaged and nearly 40ha of agricultural land destroyed.

The committee has asked authorities to help impacted locals. In Binh Son District, each family whose house collapsed has been given a tent and 50kg of rice.

Work is also underway to repair damaged roads and clear routes to isolated regions.

About 1,586 houses in low-lying and submerged areas in Binh Son, Tra Bong and Nghia Hanh districts were relocated to higher ground.

The Quang Ngai Hydro-Meteorology Forecast Centre said river water levels had already reached the third alarm level. Water levels on Tra Bong and Tra Khuc rivers were reported to be even higher. In fact, Tra Bong River is said to have water levels that surpass the historic flood in 1999.

To cope with this issue, the province has moved an additional 660 vulnerable houses from the same three districts.

Eight of the eleven big reservoirs in Quang Ngai Province are full. Two of them, Da Ban (in Mo Duc District) and Hoc Mua (in Binh Son District), are reportedly in danger of overflowing.

Provincial authorities have already crafted solutions to cope with the worst circumstances.

Other localities

Prolonged downpour also blocked traffic routes and separated many districts in Quang Nam Province.

Mo Su Mountain caved in, blocking traffic roads connecting the town of Nui Thanh with Tam Quang Commune and those linking National Highway 1A with the Ky Ha sea port.

Many communes of Nam Tra My and Nong Son districts were also submerged under 0.5 to 1.5 metres of water.

Central provinces from Quang Tri to Thua Thien-Hue also experienced between 50mm and 100mm of rain yesterday. In Binh Dien of Thua Thien-Hue Province, water levels reached 163mm.

Heavy rain caused river water levels to rise quickly. As a result, flash floods and landslides are forecast at an alarming level.

Since about 40,000 wells were submerged, the National Centre for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation has also supplied Cloramine B powder, Pur chemical and individual hygiene bags to disinfect the water in Phu Yen Province.

Cold spell in north

The National Hydro-Meteorology Forecast Centre says that low pressure mixed with a cold spell have brought rain and wind to the northern and mid central regions since last night.

Rain also occurred in some areas in the north and central Thanh Hoa Province.

Ha Noi is expected to experience low temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees Celsius.

The centre said river water levels from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Nam would continue to increase while levels in the rivers of the Quang Ngai, Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces would recede.

The centre also warned of flash floods from Thua Thien-Hue to Quang Nam provinces.