A corner of the area swept by floodwaters. VNA/VNS Photo Quý Trung

LAI CHÂU — Flash floods, surges and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have caused severe casualties and extensive property damage in Mường Than Commune, Lai Châu Province, according to Mường Than Commune Police.

The latest figures, as of 8.30am on July 18, show four people dead, seven injured and four missing.

The four fatalities have been identified as Lò Văn Chương (born 1995), Phạm Thị Liên (born 1994) and Phạm Xuân Trường (born 2018), all residents of Bản Chít village, and Bàn Thị Lai (born 2016), of Bản Nậm Sáng village in the same commune.

The four people reported missing are Lường Thị Xương (born 1981), Đỗ Thị Hoa (born 1972), Nguyễn Thị Mai (born 1958) and Phạm Bảo Châm (born 2015), all residents of Bản Chít village.

Those injured have been taken for emergency treatment at Tân Uyên General Hospital.

The disaster destroyed 13 homes across the commune, most of them in Bản Chít, and damaged many others. Nearly 100 further households face landslide risk.

Transport infrastructure has been severely affected. About 800 metres of National Highway 32 at kilometre marker 354 has been inundated with floodwater, mud and fallen branches, blocking all traffic. Twenty electricity poles have been toppled or snapped, cutting power to numerous villages, while 200 hectares of rice paddies have been submerged by soil, sand and debris.

Total estimated losses to housing, crops, vegetation, roads and power lines amount to more than VNĐ120 billion (US$4.6 million).

Immediately after the disaster, local forces in Mường Than Commune mobilised for rescue operations. Leadership of the Lai Châu Provincial People's Committee formed a working delegation to go directly to the scene and take command of search and rescue efforts.

Provincial police and military units were deployed with equipment and support vehicles to focus on disaster relief, search and rescue operations.

Lai Châu Provincial Police established a forward command post at Tân Uyên Commune Police station, under the direct command of Colonel Khoàng Văn Thương, Deputy Director of the Provincial Police, to co-ordinate rescue, relief and disaster recovery operations.

The Chairman of the Lai Châu Provincial People's Committee issued an urgent directive on July 17, instructing departments, agencies, armed forces and local People's Committees to focus on responding to and recovering from the floods, flash floods and landslides in accordance with the "four on-the-spot" principle, with no room for passivity or unpreparedness.

Emergency declarations have been issued for Mường Than Commune and for a landslide site that has severed National Highway 12 within Lê Lợi Commune.

Rescue operations in Mường Than Commune are proceeding with urgency. Provincial People's Committee chairman Hà Quang Trung travelled to the scene to inspect and direct recovery efforts and oversee disaster response measures.

Provincial and local forces are deploying personnel and equipment to search and rescue operations and disaster relief work, with the aim of restoring stability to residents' lives as quickly as possible.

On July 17, 15 homes in Bản Chít village were swept away by floodwaters and about 32 households were completely cut off, with casualties and property losses yet to be fully assessed. — VNS