The incident occurred at about 5 pm on May 3 at a factory in Nhan Hoa Commune, as the area was hit by heavy rain, strong winds and lightning.
A bolt struck the storage tank directly, rupturing it and releasing large volumes of molasses across the site.
Factory representatives estimated losses at VND 7 to 8 billion (approximately USD 270,000 to 310,000), adding that the damage had significantly disrupted production.
Molasses covers the sugar factory grounds after lightning punctured the storage tank (Photo: Nguyen Phong).
Local authorities confirmed the incident, noting that about 2,000 tonnes of molasses had spilled. The business had also suffered losses from flooding in 2025, compounding the impact of extreme weather.
At the same time, several mountainous areas in Nghe An reported thunderstorms, lightning and hail, causing additional damage to property and agricultural production.
Officials said they are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage across the locality.
