CENTRAL REGION — Severe floods are expected as the river water level is rising swiftly in the central Quảng Bình and Hà Tĩnh provinces, which were devastated by historic floods earlier this month.

Water from the floods in the beginning of the month has yet to flow out in several remote areas in the provinces, resulting in repeated floods in the locality.

According to a report by commune authorities in this province’s Ba Đồn District, the latest flood submerged their residency this morning. A dyke broken and locals attempted to reinforce it but failed, and floodwater from Gianh River poured into the communes again.

Nguyễn Văn Hóa, commune chairman, said local authorities managed to evacuate residents of a village in the lowest-lying area in the district.

Railway authorities in the province deployed trucks to assist trains travelling through the flooded areas. The trains were forced to travel at an average speed of 5km per hour.

In Hà Tĩnh, the three lowest communes of Hương Khê District, which were hit hardest by the early October flood, were flooded again today. The water also blocked roads leading to the communes, isolating them even further.

Hoàng Xuân Tần, another commune head, said all residents were forced to travel by boats. Several houses were flooded right after locals attempted to clean them up following the last flood.

The district agriculture sector reported that 75,000ha of farming land cultivated by local farmers was affected again by the new flood.

Traffic has also been blocked in several areas in this province’s Kỳ Anh District.

Continuous heavy rainfall during the weekend has made water in Quảng Bình’s Gianh River and Hà Tĩnh’s Ngàn Sâu River rise swiftly.

Water released from the Hố Hô power plant, which is located between the two localities, has worsened the situation. Fortunately, the release is being made in a low and gradual volume, unlike the unannounced release of a huge volume of water the last time.

The National Centre for Meteorology and Hydrology Forecast late last week warned central provinces of flood risk due to the heavy rains. According to the centre, water in all the rivers in Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế will reach an alarmingly high level early this week. — VNS