Flooding ravages central provinces, paralyses roads

Many communes in central provinces are isolated due to serious flooding

The most severely affected province is Quang Binh where more than 56,000 homes have been inundated and some parts are only accessible by boat. In some villages, the floodwater level was as high as house roofs.

According to Hoang Duy Khiem, an official in Quang Thanh commune of Quang Trach district, the flood peak was about 10-15 centimetres higher than that of the historic flooding in 2007.

The disaster has left nine dead and seven injured in Quang Binh province while another ten people are still unaccounted for as of October 15.

Severe flooding also damaged many sections of the North-South railway in Quang Binh province, leaving 12 cargo trains and 10 passenger trains with nearly 1,200 passenger stranded, according to the Vietnam Railway Corporation.

Stranded passengers were bussed out of the flooded areas to continue their journeys.

In Ha Tinh province, heavy rain deluged more than 24,000 homes while vast areas of crops, roads, irrigation projects, schools and electrical facilities were submerged in floodwater.

Nguyen Van Hung, Chairman of Loc Yen commune in Huong Khe district, said water discharge in large volumes from a nearby hydropower plant caught many residents off guard despite having been informed in advance.

Due to the water level rising quickly, many local residents did not have enough time to evacuate their property and cattle to safe places, incurring substantial losses.

In Nghe An province, heavy rain measured over 400mm also caused flooding to crop fields, residential areas and roads in Vinh city.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung arrived in Quang Binh province on October 15 where he asked local authorities to ensure food supplies and quickly help residents recover after the floodwater recedes.

While central provinces are still struggling in the aftermath of a previous storm, a new typhoon called Sarika has formed in the East Sea and is heading towards the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

The national weather service also forecasts that river water in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Nghe An provinces will continue to rise and has warned of flash flooding and landslides./.

Source: NDO