Floodwater rose in underground overflows and streams in the Cầu Sập area in Lào Cai ward. VNA/VNS Photo

LÀO CAI — Prolonged heavy rains in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai have caused severe landslides and damaged many houses and infrastructure works in several communes, reported the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment.

The total preliminary damage value was initially estimated at over VNĐ680 million (US$25,000).

The most serious incident occurred on Wednesday, August 5, at Mý Háng Tầu Hydropower Plant in Pú Vá of Chế Tạo Commune.

A massive landslide swept a wooden shack, a shipping container, and a motorbike into the lake and buried approximately five hectares of cultivated farmland.

A local resident who was passing through the area to harvest corn at the time of the incident was currently unaccounted for.

Local forces have been cordoning off the area and conducting a search for the victim.

The heavy rains have also caused landslides and blocked transport in 39 spots with total volume of landslides of nearly 6,000cu.m of rocks and soil. Among them, serious landslides occurred in Khao Mang Commune with 29 points with about 3,000cu.m of soil and rock, Thượng Hà Commune – 2,100cu.m and Lâm Thượng Commune – 800cu.m.

Faced with the risk of continued landslides threatening residential areas, the local authorities had to organise urgent relocation of households in Thượng Hà and Xuân Hoà to safe places.

Currently, forces, militia, and police were mobilised to the fullest extent to assist people in evacuating, moving property, and clearing soil and rocks that had entered homes.

At the black spots of landslides and traffic congestion, the Road Maintenance Management Board and commune authorities have stretched ropes and posted warning signs, determined not to allow people and vehicles to pass until safety is guaranteed.

Machines and equipment have also been dispatched to divided roads to level and repair them.

Lào Cai Province authorities warned that the weather is still complicated, localities need to continue to maintain around-the clock duty, carefully review areas at risk of floods, flash floods and landslides to promptly evacuate people and minimise damage caused by natural disasters.

In order to promptly help people stabilise their lives, on Wednesday, the People's Committee of Lào Cai Province issued urgent support for people who had to be relocated out of natural disaster areas in the area.

Accordingly, the beneficiaries of support are households and individuals who must evacuate or relocate urgently from areas at risk of natural disasters according to the decision of the competent authority.

The applied support level is VNĐ250,000 ($10) per person per day, implemented during the entire time people have to evacuate or relocate urgently according to the decision of the competent authority.

Funding for implementation is guaranteed by the provincial budget. — VNS