A rescue team searches for victims in central Hà Tĩnh Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Ngà

CENTRAL REGION — Heavy rain and flooding in the central region in the past few days have caused two deaths and left one person missing in Hà Tĩnh Province.

Multiple sections of road have also been damaged, according to the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

One person in Cao Bằng Province was also killed when a tree collapsed on his house due to the downpours.

Among the three victims of floods in Hà Tĩnh Province, two were found dead, and one is still missing.

The torrential rain also inundated 860 households, 19 community houses, 10 schools and multiple bridges across the locality.

Around 100 metres of the North-South railway running through Vũ Quang District in the province was also eroded. The section has since been repaired by local authorities and Nghệ Tĩnh Railway Company.

A total of 2.6 km of traffic routes among communes were also damaged, with more than 1,500 cubic metres of soil eroded in Vũ Quang, Đức Thọ, Cẩm Xuyên, Thạch Hà districts and Kỳ Anh Town.

Landslides also damaged the cultivation land of 67 households, while 24.5 hectares of crops were flooded.

Multiple sections of National Route 34, which were damaged due to erosion, have been fixed.

In Quảng Bình Province, the flood level on National Route 15 reached 1.2 metres. Inundation of several routes in the locality also isolated several residence zones in Hà Môn and Mỹ Sơn villages.

The water has receded, and traffic has resumed.

In Quảng Ngãi Provinces, two houses in Bắc Trà My District were damaged due to erosion of the slopes behind the buildings. The families have been evacuated.

Erosion occurring along 50 metres of a riverbank also collapsed a utility pole, cutting power to 400 households.

Floods were also recorded on the provincial route ĐT 623 and the Thạch Nham spillway bridge.

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, the area from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Phú Yên provinces will see moderate to heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday, with the average rainfall expected to fall between 70 and 120mm, and over 200mm in several locations.

Downpours are also expected in Khánh Hòa Province, the Central Highlands and southern region later in the day on Thursday, Friday, and between November 7-10.

From Sunday to Monday next week, the northern region will see scattered showers. The northern and northern central regions will have moderate to heavy rain from November 6-9.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has required that cities and provinces implement the Prime Minister’s official dispatch issued on Tuesday for proactive response to rain and floods, ensuring safety for people in the central region and Central Highlands.

The steering committee has also issued two dispatches to guide the responses to heavy rain, flash floods, landslides and strong winds at sea to protect people’s lives and property.

The guidelines required cities and provinces to closely monitor weather and natural disaster forecasts, and deliver warnings to their localities for prompt actions.

Authorities are assigned to coordinate with local governments for search and rescue missions, supporting people affected by heavy rain and floods, and evaluating the damage. — VNS