Flood isolates hundreds of households in Lai Chau Province

Nearly 300 households of 1,500 people in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau have been isolated due to floods.

Nearly 300 households of 1,500 people in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau have been isolated due to floods.

According to Lai Chau Steering Committee Office for Disaster Prevention and Rescue, over the past week, the province has witnessed heavy rains.

 

Flooding has isolated hundreds of households in Lai Chau

Flooding following the downpour washed away a bridge over the Nam Cha stream, isolating Nam Nhun and Muong Te districts. The same situation has been also seen at Na Phat and Sang Nga villages of Than Uyen Commune, affecting 170 local households with 1,000 people.

Meanwhile, 88 households in Nam Xe Village of Phong Tho District have been also separated by the flood. During the past week, the households have to live on food provided by a neighbouring village via a rope across the water.

A suspension bridge over the stream in Na Phat Village, Than Uyen District was dismantled due to serious deterioration and a new bridge was under construction. But work on the new bridge is still underway, so there is no way for households to cross the stream during the flood.

  

The old suspension bridge over Na Phat Village, Than Uyen District

Heavy rain also washed away another 17 dykes, irrigation and canal structures in the province, while a large area of paddy and vegetable fields were submerged.

The province has suffered an estimated VND8 billion (USD355,000) in damage.