Since Thursday night, downpours have swept across several northern mountainous localities, continuing into Friday morning. From 2 am to 8 am on May 23, Pac Ma area in Lai Chau Province recorded 205mm of rain, while An Lac in Yen Bai, Thanh Tuong in Tuyen Quang and Phong Hai in Lao Cai witnessed over 130mm.
In Tuyen Quang City, many roads have been seriously inundated, resulting in traffic disruptions. Uprooted trees along the Tan Quang Lake have posed serious safety hazards to residents.
Many roads in Tuyen Quang City are flooded due to heavy rains (Photo by Tuyen Quang Newspaper)
At Xuan Lap Semi-Boarding School in Lam Binh District, a part of an auxiliary structure collapsed into a stream. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as students had been off school for three days earlier.
Particularly, National Highway 2 linking Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang have been put around 50 centimetres under water, blocking traffic.
A part of an auxiliary structure of Xuan Lap Semi-Boarding School in Tuyen Quang collapses on May 23. (Photo by Bao Tuyen Quang)
In Yen Bai, widespread flooding has affected several areas, including the city centre. Rising water inundated Yen Thinh Market, disrupting business activities.
Yen Bai City’s southern industrial zone has also been severely submerged. Emergency crews were mobilised to manage traffic and assist in heavily affected areas.
In Lao Cai Province, intense rains swelled rivers and streams, with floodwaters overflowing Lang Giang Bridge which connects Lao Cai City and Bao Thang District. Many roads in Lao Cai City were put under water.
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that northern region will have further rains over some hours to come, ranging from 30-70mm, with some areas surpassing 100mm. Many areas in Lai Chau, Son La, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Yen Bai and Tuyen Quang are likely to face landslides and flash floods.
