A vegetable garden is submerged by floodwater in Đơn Dương District, the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Prolonged heavy rains during the past three days have caused serious flooding and landslides in parts of central Viet Nam and the Central Highlands, leaving at least one person missing.

Ninh Thuận and Khánh Hòa provinces allowed students to stay off school to avoid the flood.

Many areas along rivers in Khánh Hòa were submerged including Vĩnh Phương, Vĩnh Trung and Vĩnh Thái communes, Nha Trang City, Vạn Ninh District and Ninh Hòa Town.

Ninh Thuận and Khánh Hòa provinces have evacuated more than 400 households with more than 1,700 people to safety.

Flashfloods on Sunday night swept away one person in Vạn Ninh District, Khánh Hòa Province. The victim is still missing.

Khánh Hòa Province on Monday morning discharged water from reservoirs to regulate flood levels.

Flood also submerged roads and isolate different communes in Nha Trang City and Diên Khánh District.

Severe heavy rains yesterday afternoon caused landslides on the Highway 27C connecting Nha Trang City and Đà Lạt City, causing more than five-hour-long traffic jams.

About 2,000sq.m of soil and land slid on the Khánh Lê mountain pass. Authorities have since cleared some of the debris and the highway is open for one-way traffic.

It is forecast that Thừa Thiên-Huế and Khánh Hòa provinces and several places in the Central Highlands area will have strong rains today. The water level in rivers from Quảng Nam to Khánh Hòa provinces will continue to rise for the next week.

The Vệ River in Quảng Ngãi Province will rise to the third level – the urgent alarming level, whereas the Trà Khúc River in Quảng Ngãi Province, Thu Bồn River in Quảng Nam Province, Kôn River in Bình Định Province and Dinh River in Khánh Hòa Province will be at the second alarm level.

Mountainous districts should be vigilant for flashfloods and landslides. — VNS