According to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, as of late afternoon of July 23, heavy rain was still pouring in Hanoi and many places in the North, with some places experiencing torrential downpours. Due to the influence of Typhoon No. 2, a large amount of land has slipped down onto National Highway 6 in Hoa Binh and Son La provinces, causing traffic congestion at Km 151+200 in Pa Co Commune of Hoa Binh Province’s Mai Chau District.
Heavy rains in Northern Vietnam, triggered by low-pressure zones, have caused floods and landslides in Son La Province, paralyzing traffic on National Highway 6. The Lao Cai Provincial Department of Transportation yesterday announced that a major landslide at Km 127+700 on National Highway 4D completely cut off traffic between Sa Pa town and Lao Cai City.
After the landslide, the Lao Cai Joint Stock Road Company mobilized personnel and equipment to the scene to deal with the incident. As of late afternoon of July 23, only half a lane had been temporarily cleared at this landslide site and drivers could travel through without congestion.
Since rocks and soil at the landslide site are continuing to fall onto the road, according to the warning of functional forces, this area is still very dangerous as a massive debris cascade of rock from a cliff keeps falling onto the road; people should not travel through this area to ensure their safety.
The Ministry of Health yesterday issued an urgent dispatch to the Departments of Health of provinces and cities from Quang Ninh to Ha Tinh and the Ministry's departments in the North and Central regions, requesting them to proactively deploy measures to respond to storms and floods, ensuring safety for people while adopting storm and flood prevention plans and solutions.
The Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control informed that in Quang Ninh province, storm winds had sunk a cement ship under 15m and a small high-speed boat at its mooring place on Co To island. Ha Long City People's Committee has promptly evacuated nine households in areas at risk of flash floods and landslides to safety; and at the same time, the local government formulated a plan to prevent a house from collapsing in Bai Chay Ward.
As of late afternoon on July 23, the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue and Civil Defense of Quang Ninh Province reported that there were no casualties caused by Typhoon No. 2. Local administrations have evacuated 2,481 people, including the elderly, women, and children from fish farms to the shore to avoid Typhoon No. 2
Yesterday afternoon, Vice Chairman Bui Van Hien of the People's Committee of Que Phong District of Nghe An Province said that the landslide point on National Highway 16 through Chuoi slope in Chau Kim Commune is developing extremely complicatedly and dangerously. Functional forces are working around the clock banning people and vehicles from passing through the area. They are surveying and exploring geology to open a temporary bridge to pass through; however, in the long term, there will be a plan to build a high-level bridge or a bypass.
Prolonged heavy rain-triggered landslides are seen in Dua village in Luong Minh Commune, Xieng Nua village in Yen Na Commune, Phong village and Chan village in Thach Giam Town in Tuong Duong District in Nghe An Province. On the main road Dinh Phong - Quang Yen in Tam Dinh Commune, rocks and soil have fallen, isolating villages in remote and mountainous areas. Meanwhile, in Thanh Hoa, landslides caused by heavy rain have damaged four houses in Muong Lat District and two houses in Quan Son District. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
In addition, landslides in the two districts were seen on 10 roads.
In related news, according to the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Control and Search and Rescue of Ca Mau Province, since the beginning of the year, natural disasters have caused 10 houses to be damaged or destroyed; 19 locations along the river have been eroded with a length of over 480m and 26 incidents have sunk seven boats at sea, killing 17 crew members, leaving six missing. The total damage is estimated at VND30 billion.
As of July 23, preliminary statistics in Ca Mau and Hau Giang provinces show that nearly 1,000 hectares of rice have been damaged due to heavy rains last week. Among these, the most severely affected area is Tran Van Thoi District in Ca Mau Province with about 570 hectares of summer-autumn rice damaged.
Meanwhile, prolonged heavy rains combined with strong winds have damaged summer-autumn rice about to be harvested and winter-spring rice that has just been sown in Hau Giang Province.
A working group led by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan has arrived in Quang Ninh Province to inspect storm response work. The minister asked localities to continue keeping watch on heavy-rain triggered flooding.
