A damaged road section in Cao Bằng Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms, packing whirlwinds and lightning, wreaked havoc across localities across Việt Nam as of 15:30 on Sunday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Việt Nam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority.

In the central province of Đắk Lắk, violent rainstorms with strong winds and lightning injured one person and damaged 27 houses, one of which collapsed entirely. Seven houses suffered severe damage and 13 had roofs ripped off in Ea Kar Commune.

Torrential rain in Lý Quốc Commune, northern Cao Bằng Province, flooded 130 ha of rice, 50 ha of corn, 24.9 ha of soybeans, 6.17 ha of peanuts and 30 ha of industrial crops. Floodwaters also swamped 183 homes and one school, with water depths of 0.5-1.5m, concentrated in nine out of 18 hamlets.

In central Quảng Trị province, lightning killed 14 cattle in Cù Bai Village, Hương Lập Commune, inflicting estimated losses of around VNĐ150 million (US$5,700).

While in central Thanh Hóa Province, strong winds and high waves snapped the anchors of two fishing vessels, sinking them near the estuary in Ngọc Sơn Ward.

Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, head of the weather forecast department at the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, warned that weather conditions remain complicated in the coming days.

From Sunday to Monday, scattered showers and thunderstorms, with pockets of heavy rain, are forecast for the northwestern region. The Northeast will see moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms, with very heavy downpours.

Central coastal areas can expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, particularly in the late afternoon and evening, with isolated heavy rainfall.

The Central Highlands and southern regions are also set for scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms, with localised heavy rain.

From the night of Tuesday through Thursday, widespread rain and thunderstorms will blanket northern Việt Nam, with some areas likely to see torrential rainfall. Precipitation is expected to taper off after Friday.

The strip from Thanh Hóa to Đà Nẵng, along with eastern areas from Quảng Ngãi to Đắk Lắk, are also forecast to face scattered showers and thunderstorms from Monday to Wednesday.

Localities nationwide should stay on alert for whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong wind gusts during thunderstorms, Hương warned. — VNA/VNS