Cold spell, heavy rain likely to last five days
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| HCM City's Thu Dau Mot Market was submerged as record high tides from the Sai Gon River hit the city and other neighbouring provinces yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Duong Chi Tuong |
HA NOI (VNS)–A cold spell, hitting Viet Nam's northern region yesterday is forecast to last five days and cause heavy rain and flooding in many areas, according to the Central Hydrometeorological Forecasting Centre.
Residents should watch out for strong winds, flash floods and landslides, said the centre.
In northern Lao Cai Province, which borders China, the temperature was below 25 degrees Celsius. Forecasts suggested that the temperature would continue to fall while the rain would continue for another day. Sa Pa would see temperatures below 15 C degree.
Director of Lao Cai Hydrometeorological Centre Luu Minh Hai said the whole system of rivers and streams in the province has seen flooding with water heights rising from 50 to 100cm. The flooding would continue for the next few days.
Hai said the province has asked relevant sectors and localities to closely monitor the rising water and alert residents about flash floods and landslides so they can protect livestock and plants from the cold and heavy rain.
Meanwhile in the southern region, especially HCM City, daily life has been strongly affected by the flooding.
The water level of flood-tide was forecast to go beyond 1.60m in the coming days in HCM City, exceeding the 2011 record of 1.59m.
Yesterday afternoon, several roads and residential areas in HCM City were seriously flooded as tidal water levels reached record highs.
According to the Southern Hydro-Metrology Station, the mid-October high tide this year would last from Oct 16 to 18, with the highest levels reaching 1.61 metres at 5.30 pm yesterday.
Many areas in HCM City would be flooded during this period, the station said.
Many residential areas and roads in HCM City were under water yestereday morning. Water levels began to rise at 4.00 am and reached their peak at 8.00 pm.
Most of the sections of National Highway No 1A in Binh Tan and Binh Chanh districts were flooded, with some stretches 0.6 metres under water.
Hundreds of motorbikes broke down on these sections.
In Ward Tan Tao A of Binh Tan District, many residents used sandbags and planks to prevent flood waters from flowing into their homes.
The Vanh Khuyen Pre-school in Nha Be District's Phuoc Loc Commune has suffered heavy flooding in the last few days.
In southern Bac Lieu Province, one of the localities in the Cuu Long River Delta suffering the most significant effects of global climate change, a flood occurred early yesterday morning at Ganh Hoa meteorological station that was measured at 2.1 metres.
The province has about 125,000ha of shrimp ponds and 3,000ha of salt production as well as thousands of households, State offices and markets in low areas are at high risk of flooding.
However, the construction of a 56-km East Sea dyke system which expectedly protect local residental and farming areas from high sea tides has not completed.
While the southern and northern people are dealing with heavy rain and flooding, the Central and Tay Nguyen (Central Highland) regions have been forecast to be sunny with temperatures from 25 to 33 C degrees. — VNS