Northern provinces on alert as Chinese dam opens floodgates

The rapid flow of water can be seen along a section of the Duong River in Hanoi’s Long Bien district.

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The rapid flow of water makes it more difficult for boats to travel on the river.

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A vessel struggles to run upstream on the Duong River.

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A cargo ship stalls as it attempts to overcome the fast-flowing water.

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The rising water levels can be seen by those passing over Long Bien bridge on the Red River.

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Plenty of alluvial land where people live is now left submerged.

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A sport facility in a local park is completely flooded.

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It is anticipated that over the comings days the Red River will see increasingly high water levels due to the Madushan Dam of China opening its floodgates. This move comes as heavy rain has caused the dam to reach its maximum capacity.

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The Madushan Dam is located approximately 95 km from the Vietnamese border. The dam is capable of holding roughly 551 million m3 of water.

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A number of northern localities such as Hanoi, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, and Vinh Phuc provinces are greatly affected by the water discharge from the Chinese dam.