Local authorities evacuate stranded residents and their motorbikes by boat in Kim Phú Commune. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG TRỊ — Heavy rain from a tropical depression has triggered widespread flooding across the central province of Quảng Trị, cutting off roads, sweeping barges into a major railway bridge and forcing authorities to evacuate more than 2,500 people to safety.

By 6am on Monday, several rivers in the province had crested and were receding slowly, though the Gianh River continued to rise, according to the provincial Civil Defence Command.

The Thạch Hãn River peaked at 6.31m at its monitoring station – 0.31m above the level-3 flood-warning threshold – while the Kiến Giang River also breached its alert level.

Officials said other waterways, including the Ô Lâu, Bến Hải and Hiếu Rivers, had similar exceeded warning marks.

The flooding has been most severe in Quảng Trị's mountainous western communes, where rising water submerged bridges, low-lying causeways and stretches of National Highways 9B and 15D, in some cases with currents too strong and water too deep for people or vehicles to pass.

A barge swept away by strong currents lodges against the Mỹ Thủy Railway Bridge. — VNA/VNS Photo

A causeway on provincial road 588A was submerged under more than five metres of water, while flooding in the Phú Nhiêu and Tiên Nhất areas of Kim Phú Commune left some causeways under roughly two metres, cutting off local access.

Preliminary figures show hundreds of homes inundated across the province, including 312 households in Lao Bảo Commune and 126 in Ba Lòng Commune, affecting well over 2,000 residents.

In one of the more serious incidents, surging water on the Ô Giang River swept three barges downstream, lodging them against the Mỹ Chánh Railway Bridge on the North-South line and threatening rail, road and river traffic in the area, including National Highway 1.

Provincial officials inspected the site immediately afterward and ordered agencies to secure the area and prepare equipment to salvage the barges, while asking the Ministry of Construction for technical support on a resolution.

Landslides have further disrupted travel in the highlands. A slide on National Highway 15D near Tà Rụp was cleared and traffic restored, but a larger slide blocked the road to the La Lay International Border Crossing, with additional slides reported in Đakrông, Trường Son and along a rural road linking Trằm and Hướng Phùng communes.

The floods have also hit farmland and aquaculture. Officials estimate 344.5ha of rice have been flooded or flattened, along with smaller losses of vegetables and other crops, while more than 7,000ha of unharvested fish and shrimp ponds are at risk.

Provincial authorities said 663 households, comprising of 2,506 people, have been relocated from high-risk areas to safer ground as the flooding has intensified.

Militia, police and local rescue teams have been deployed to monitor flooded roads and river crossings, set up barricades and warning signs, and identify areas at risk of landslides or flash floods for possible further evacuation.

Border guard units are also on standby for search-and-rescue operations and are keeping in contact with fishing boats still at sea, while reservoir operators have stepped up safety checks and adjusted water releases to match the rainfall.

Authorities stand guard to keep residents away from flood-hazard areas. — VNA/VNS Photo

Residents of Ái Tử Commune spent Sunday evening moving furniture, motorbikes and livestock to higher ground, in some cases relying on boats to shift people and belongings as the Thạch Hãn River crept toward their doorsteps.

Lê Bá Hàn, a farmer who has nearly 20,000 frogs, enlisted neighbours to help relocate his stock after floodwater breached his ponds. He said he was used to flooding along the river but that major floods typically arrive in October or November, not mid-September, leaving many residents caught off guard this time.

Nguyễn Quang Tuyến from Triệu Bình Commune said: "Flooding at night is dangerous. If you let your guard down even briefly, the water can get in deep, and then it becomes very hard to move people and belongings."

In Quảng Trị Ward, more than 100 homes were flooded and seven households, with 27 people, were relocated as water submerged several central streets. Ward officials said they have maintained round-the-clock duty shifts and urged residents to stockpile food, water and essentials, particularly in areas at risk of being cut off, and to avoid deep or fast-moving floodwater.

The provincial Civil Defence Command has warned local authorities not to grow complacent even as water levels on some rivers begin to fall, instructing them to keep tight control over flood-prone and landslide-risk areas and maintain rescue teams on standby.

A full damage assessment is ongoing, officials said, with casualty and loss figures expected to be updated in the coming days. — VNS