On August 19, a several-hour long torrential downpour inundated Northern provinces and cities with the worst hit being Yen Bai Province. According to a report of the Steering Committee for Natural Disasters Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue of Yen Bai Province, many houses, residential areas and schools were flooded after the heavy rain.

Additionally, floodwater swallowed 698.9 hectares of paddy, corn and vegetables and 20.3 hectares of aquatic farm. Yen Bai City reported flooding at 18 roads. The local authorities sent rescue troops and vehicles to flooded residential areas to help the people.

Amid the heavy rainy spell and downpour, flash flood predictions, Lai Chau Hydropower Plant decided to open five floodgates to reduce water volume in two recent days. Similarly, three hydropower reservoirs in Quang Ninh Province released water after the recent heavy rains.

On the same day, the National Center for Hydro-meteorology Forecasting released an emergency situation of flash flood on the Red River along with risks of landslide and flooding in the Northern and Central Highlands regions.

It is expected that water levels on the upstream Red River and Thai Binh River would rise rapidly.

Due to the circulation of Higos storm, which has made landfall and weakened in China’s Guangxi Province, the Northern region of Vietnam is likely to experience torrential rainfalls from August 20-22. Meantime, both the Southern and Central Highlands region will continue seeing medium- heavy downpours and thunderstorms under the impact of the southwest monsoon.

By Van Phuc- Translated by Huyen Huong