Heavy rain, flash floods forecast to continue over weekend

The centre has warned of possible whirlwinds, lightning and hailstorms in northern localities, and flash floods and landslides in the mountainous provinces of Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Ha Giang.

Moderate rain is expected in the capital city during the day, and showers and thunderstorms are likely at night.

Temperatures will be between 24 and 31 Celsius degrees in northern localities and between 25 and 36 degrees in the central and Central Highland regions.

Heavy downpours have hit the country’s northern mountainous region this week, killing three, injuring several more and devastating the region’s infrastructure and agricultural production.

On May 29, heavy rain destroyed five houses in Bac Quang commune in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang. A 10-year-old girl was killed as her house collapsed on her family.

Fifty percent of the commune’s rice fields – which were nearly ready for the harvest – were ruined.

Landslides damaged more than 30 houses and thousands of hectares of agricultural land and fishing farms; hundreds of livestock were killed by the flood.

In the neighbouring province of Yen Bai, flash floods killed a man in Van Chan district as he was making his way home.

Heavy rain in neighbouring Cao Bang province on May 27 and 28 resulted in flooding that killed a man and swept away more than a dozen houses during the night.

The downpour also destroyed more than a hundred hectares of vegetables across the province.

Flash floods and landslide were reported to have partly blocked traffic on important routes in the region. Provincial authorities have ordered agencies to provide support to affected households and repair the damaged roads.