Recently, northern Vietnam has been hit by continuous heavy rainstorms, causing floods and landslides in multiple areas since September 13. The severe downpours have severely disrupted the lives and livelihoods of the local residents. Emergency measures are currently being implemented across the regions to address the disasters and promote post-disaster emergency recovery.
According to local media reports, the most affected areas by the disaster include Hanoi, Phu Tho Province, Thanh Hoa Province, Ninh Binh Province, and Yen Bai Province in the northern and central northern regions. Some areas have recorded rainfall exceeding 400 millimeters, with water levels in multiple rivers exceeding dangerous levels.
As reported by the Dam Management and Disaster Prevention Bureau of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, as of 5:30 p.m. on September 17, landslides have resulted in three casualties in Tho Bac Commune, Phu Tho Province. Over 16,000 houses nationwide have been submerged, with Hanoi accounting for 2,204 of them.
Moreover, the ongoing heavy rainfall has also led to damage to nearly 25,000 hectares of crops, with multiple roads being blocked due to landslides or flooding. Significant transportation infrastructure, channels, and schools have been inundated or suffered varying degrees of damage.
The National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, together with local governments in Vietnam, have activated a 24-hour standby mechanism to urgently evacuate residents living in low-lying and hazardous areas. Relevant departments are working tirelessly to carry out search and rescue operations, relocate individuals, manage water discharge, and initiate post-disaster reconstruction efforts.
However, the Vietnamese meteorological department forecasts that heavy rain will persist, prompting continued warnings of the risks of flooding and mountain mudslides in key provinces and cities such as Hanoi and Ninh Binh.