The water level in upstream Tien River in An Giang province rose to 4.07m early this week, exceeding the third warning levels, and will rise further because of heavy rains, the centre said.

In the swampy Plains of Reed (Dong Thap Muoi) and Long Xuyen Quadrangle, the water rose an average of 3-5cm per day to 3.78m, higher than the peak level of last year.

Rising floods in the last few days have forced local provincial authorities in Dong Thap Province, one of the most flood-prone in the Mekong Delta, to evacuate local residents to safer areas.

The local authorities have over the last five years moved 33,800 households to flood-proof residential complexes, accounting for 90 percent of the local relocation plan.

In Dong Thap, the local authorities have provided US$6.8 million to build field embankments and river dykes to protect rice fields from floods. A large part of the funding will be spent on relocating residents who live in the most vulnerable areas.

According to An Giang province’s Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control, three children in Long Xuyen Town and Chau Thanh District have drowned because of the floods in recent days.

To prevent further damage to life and property, provincial authorities have urged the relocation of residents in these areas to flood-proof housing by late October.

In An Giang and Kien Giang provinces, more than 40,000 households have moved to the housing complexes so far, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the planned relocation.

Local authorities are completing infrastructure in the flood-proof residential complexes, including roads, water supply, and wastewater drainage projects.