Typhoon Narra weakens, northern Vietnam grapples with floods and landslides

Preliminary reports show the disasters have left one dead and three injured, with thousands of houses submerged or damaged, and more than 29,000ha of rice and subsidiary crops affected.

Typhoon Narra loses strength

At 4 a.m. on August 25, Narrar was swirling over the waters south of Vietnam’s Bach Long Vi Island, with maximum sustained winds of 62-74 kmh and gusts of up to around 100 kmh. It was moving east at 5-10 kmh and is forecast to turn northeast over the next 24-48 hours before moving across the eastern Gulf of Tonkin toward Guangxi, China, and weakening further.

The weakening storm means the threat from strong winds on land is easing, but the impacts of prolonged rainfall are continuing, particularly across northern and north-central Vietnam.

From August 20 to the morning of August 25, rainfall across northern and north-central localities ranged from 150 to 400 mm. Some locations recorded much higher totals, including 703 mm in Mau Son, 699 mm in Bai Chay and 524 mm on Bach Long Vi.

More rain was forecast on August 25 across northern Vietnam and from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh, before conditions gradually improve later in the day.

River levels remain high as flood threat continues

Prolonged rainfall has kept river levels high across several northern provinces.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said on August 25 that floodwaters on rivers in Lang Son and Bac Ninh are high, with levels on the Cau, Thuong, Luc Nam and Trung rivers reaching alert levels 2-3 or above level 3 in some locations. Floodwaters on the lower Ma and Buoi rivers in Thanh Hoa were also forecast to peak during the day.

With the ground already saturated, continued rain is increasing the risk of flooding in low-lying areas as well as flash floods and landslides in mountainous locations.

As flood and landslide risks are elevated, local authorities continue to move residents away from dangerous areas. By the morning of August 25, approximately 7,000 households had been safely evacuated, with Lang Son reporting the largest number, followed by Bac Ninh.

Authorities had also helped more than 52,900 vehicles carrying over 210,000 people move away from areas exposed to the storm.

The prolonged rain has also placed pressure on flood-control infrastructure. On August 24, authorities recorded seven incidents involving major dykes in Bac Ninh, Hai Phong and Ninh Binh. The incidents were addressed promptly and continue to be monitored.

Transport and power systems affected

Flooding and landslides have affected transport links, with 340 locations reported to have suffered landslides or flooding severe enough to disrupt traffic.

Road crews continue to clear debris, repair damaged sections and maintain essential connections, particularly in areas needed for rescue and relief operations.

The power network has also been affected, with more than 64,900 customers experiencing outages, mainly in Bac Ninh and other flood-hit areas. Power companies are working to restore service where conditions are safe.

Weather officials have warned of flash floods, landslides and flooding in low-lying areas along rivers. While floodwaters on the lower Luc Nam River are falling, levels on the Thuong and Cau rivers are still rising, with some parts of Lang Son and Bac Ninh remaining at level 3 flood risk.

Typhoon Narra is weakening and moving away from Vietnam, but the disaster response is not over. With rivers still high and many areas dealing with flooding, landslides and damaged infrastructure, the focus has shifted from strong winds to managing the continuing effects of prolonged rain and restoring safe conditions for affected communities.

Typhoon Narra barely moves as rain and flood risks persist in northern Vietnam

VOV.VN - Typhoon Narra is barely moving over the waters north of Vietnam’s Bach Long Vi Island, while prolonged rain, rising river levels and the risk of flash floods and landslides continue across northern Vietnam.