A helicopter transports food to help flood victims in Lang Son Province on October 8.
The ministry mobilised over 30,000 soldiers and several military helicopters on October 8 to deliver emergency supplies to residents trapped by severe flooding caused by the remnants of Storm Matmo in Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, and Cao Bang provinces.
Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Rescue Department, personally oversaw operations in Bac Ninh Province, where a dyke breach has isolated nearly 600 households after river water inundated residential areas. Military, police, and local militia forces have evacuated hundreds of families to safety.
In Lang Son Province, over 3,000 households were cut off by rising floodwaters. Two military helicopters transported four tonnes of food, including dried rations and instant noodles, to affected areas. The defence ministry plans to deploy additional flights to deliver more relief goods.
Flood levels in northern rivers continue to rise rapidly, posing a threat to dyke systems across the region. The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that although rainfall has eased, widespread flooding in Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Lang Son, and Cao Bang is expected to persist for the next three to four days, posing risks of flash floods, landslides, and dyke erosion in low-lying and riverbank areas.
Many areas in Thai Nguyen Province are deeply flooded on October 8.
On the same day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh approved an emergency relief fund of VND 140 billion (approximately USD 5.6 million) from the central budget reserve to help the affected provinces recover from the disaster.
Of this amount, Thai Nguyen will receive VND 50 billion (approximately USD 2 million), while Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Bac Ninh will each receive VND 30 billion (approximately USD 1.2 million).
