Flash floods cause land erosion in Lai Chau

(VOVworld) - Four people injured, hundreds of houses unroofed and thousands of ha of rice fields damaged by Sunday morning after Jebi storm made landfall in northern provinces, according to the Central Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Research and Rescue. Quang Ninh is one of the hardest hit localities with 3 injured, 2 antenna masts and 14 electric poles being collapsed. Total loss is estimated at 10 billion VND. In Lang Son province, more than 240 houses were unroofed, 1,300 cubic meters of road were eroded and a TV transmission tower collapsed. Le Thi Thanh Nhan, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “We have asked the people’s committees at all levels to promptly support households whose houses collapse or are unroofed. Forces are mobilized to help inundated schools and agencies overcome the flood aftermaths. Towns and townships should remove fallen trees and trunks to traffic”.

Bac Giang province has seen 1,500 ha of rice submerged. Nguyen Hong Ky, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said:“Pumping stations are working at full capacity around the clock. The river level is not very high. So we pump water from the rice field to the rivers”.

Northwestern provinces have minimized losses due to the proactive evacuation of people and other prevention measures. Pham Quoc Hung, Head of the Office of the Steering Committee for Flood Prevention and Control in Yen Bai province, told VOV:“People living in low land areas were evacuated. The Red river water level is likely to rise to alarm level 3, so contingency plans are in place”.

Rainfalls are forecast to continue in Northwestern provinces. The local authorities and people are working to prevent flash flood and land erosion.