On the afternoon of November 9, the National Civil Defence Steering Committee issued a directive urging the Thanh Hoa People's Committee to take proactive measures against heavy rain, rising river levels and flooding across the province.
Heavy rain caused a bridge abutment on the Nghi Son - Bai Tranh route in Thanh Hoa Province to collapse (Photo: Hoang Duong).
A cold air mass has brought heavy rainfall to several monitoring stations in Thanh Hoa, including 449mm in Thanh Tan, 403mm in Nhu Xuan and 349mm at Khe Dai Reservoir. Further moderate to heavy rain is forecast across the province, with some areas expected to receive more than 120mm.
The downpours could cause flooding in low-lying areas, urban centres and industrial zones, as well as flash floods along rivers and small streams and landslides on steep slopes.
The National Civil Defence Steering Committee has urged provincial authorities to closely monitor forecasts and warnings of heavy rain, floods and inundation, and promptly inform local administrations and residents so they can take preventive measures.
Thanh Hoa has also been instructed to inspect and implement safety measures at mineral mining tunnels and pits, construction sites, reservoirs and downstream areas. Authorities have been asked to proactively regulate water levels at hydropower and irrigation reservoirs.
The committee also called on the province to maintain strict round-the-clock emergency duty and regularly report its response efforts to the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Heavy rain since the night of November 8 has caused an abutment of a bridge on the Nghi Son-Bai Tranh road, in Kim Dong Village, Thanh Ky Commune, to collapse, cutting off traffic through the area.
Rising water levels at Yen My Reservoir have also inundated several spillways and local roads, temporarily disrupting access to affected areas.