Floods kill four, leave four missing in Lai Chau Province

SGGPO 18/07/2026 14:54

Heavy rains have triggered flooding in Lai Chau Province, leaving four people dead, four missing and eight injured, with losses estimated at about VND190 billion (approximately US$7.3 million).

As of noon on July 18, Lai Chau Province was continuing search-and-rescue operations and disaster recovery efforts after days of heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding and landslides.

Lai Chau Provincial Police search flood-hit areas in Muong Than Commune on the morning of July 18. Photo: Lai Chau Provincial Police

In a report submitted to the National Steering Committee for Civil Defense on July 18, the provincial People's Committee said that, as of 9 a.m., authorities had confirmed four fatalities and four people remained missing. All of the missing are residents of Chit Hamlet in Muong Than Commune.

Eight people were injured, including seven in Muong Than Commune and one in Pa U Commune.

Lai Chau Provincial Police continue search-and-rescue operations through floodwaters to locate missing and stranded residents on the morning of July 18.

According to the Lai Chau Provincial Public Security Department, fire and rescue forces safely rescued four more residents trapped by floodwaters in Muong Than Commune on the morning of July 18. They had earlier rescued several others stranded by the flooding.

Authorities continue to maintain rescue teams, inspect high-risk areas and search for those still missing.

The Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee said the flooding damaged or destroyed numerous homes in the communes of Muong Than, Than Uyen, Pa U, Nam Cuoi, Pac Ta, Le Loi, Nam Tam and Pu Sam Cap.

Many households have been forced to evacuate. In Nam Cuoi Commune alone, 307 households and two school sites are located in areas at risk of landslides.

The disaster also caused extensive agricultural losses, inundating and burying hundreds of hectares of rice fields and crops, washing away fish ponds, killing livestock and poultry, and disrupting traffic on multiple national and provincial roads across the province.

Authorities estimated total losses from the disaster between July 15 and 17 at approximately VND190 billion (about US$7.3 million), including around VND120 billion (approximately US$4.6 million) in Muong Than Commune alone.

Rescue operations continue in the flood-stricken Muong Than Commune on the morning of July 18.

According to the report, emergency evacuations were carried out for 26 households in the communes of Pa U, Le Loi, Than Uyen, Nam Tam, Nam Cuoi and Pac Ta, while 336 residents were evacuated in Muong Than Commune.

Over July 17 and July 18, local authorities deployed about 800 personnel and 50 vehicles and heavy machines for search-and-rescue operations and road clearance. Rescue forces remain on 24-hour standby as they continue searching for missing people, restoring affected areas and assessing damage.