Prolonged downpours have left urban centre of Thái Nguyên deep in water and without electricity from Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The circulation of Typhoon Matmo have unleashed catastrophic flooding and landslides across northern Việt Nam, claiming three lives, leaving four missing, and submerging nearly 10,000 hectares of paddies and crops.

As of October 7 evening, more than 4,800 houses were inundated and suffered damage, while major transport networks were badly affected. Local authorities are racing against time to settle the typhoon aftermath and ensure safety for residents in high-risk areas.

Floods, landslides, and traffic congestion were recorded at 493 locations on major routes in Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, Thái Nguyên, Bắc Ninh, Bắc Ninh, and Thanh Hoá provinces, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control.

Notably, a 5-metre-wide breach was found at Băắc Khe 1 hydropower dam in Lạng Son Province, prompting the evacuation of downstream residents.

The Northern Power Corporation said that widespread inundation and landslides have severely affected power distribution, leaving over 262,000 customers without electricity. As of 2pm on October 7, power was restored to about 19,000 customers, only 7.3 per cent of those affected. Thái Nguyên suffered the most severe outages, with nearly 197,000 customers still in the dark, followed by Lạng Sơn (25,000), Bắc Ninh (15,000), and Cao Bằng (7,000).

Residents clean up after flood water recedes in Cao Bằng northern mountainous province. — VNA/VNS Photo Chu Hiệu

Meanwhile, the Việt Nam Railway Authority and the Việt Nam Railway Corporation reported flooding and landslides on the Hà Nội–Đồng Đăng line in Lạng Sơn and the Kép–Hạ Long line connecting Bắc Ninh and Quảng Ninh provinces. The Việt Nam Air Traffic Management Corporation said nearly 20 flights delayed or diverted due to persistent thunderstorms over Hà Nội.

Cao Bằng Province faces particularly grave circumstances, with one dead and thousands affected. From the morning of October 6 through midday October 7, the province experienced widespread torrential rainfall of up to 200mm, triggering flash floods and landslides and submerging low-lying and riverside areas.

In Tuyên Quang Province, numerous landslides were recorded, particularly along the Sơn Dương bypass, forcing authorities to close the route to ensure public safety. Rescue teams, military and police, and youth volunteers have worked to clear debris, dredge drainage network, and reinforce dikes and reservoirs.

In Thái Nguyên Province, heavy rain caused severe flooding and a massive sinkhole on National Highway 3B, paralysing traffic on this vital route. Emergency crews arranged barricades, installed warning lights, and regulated traffic flow.

The capital city Hà Nội, meanwhile, faced widespread flooding on October 7 due to prolonged downpours, with several areas receiving rainfall of up to 350mm. Pumping stations were operated at their maximum capacity to drain water from 90 flooded locations across the capital city. — VNA/VNS