THỪA THIÊN- HUẾ — Almost all lowland areas in Thừa Thiên-Huế Province were flooded yesterday due to non-stop heavy rainfall since early this week and the obligatory release of water by the local reservoirs.

The heavily-flooded areas are in Phong Điền, Hương Trà and Quảng Điền districts, where locals are being forced to travel by boats on the flooded roads. A total of 1,420 houses are inundated with water.

Trần Thị Huê, a resident of Quảng Điền’s Quảng Phú Commune, said this is the first time in the last 10 years that floodwater engulfed her home. Residents are, however, safe thanks to preparations that were underway since Tuesday.

According to Phan Thanh Hùng of the province’s Centre for Flood and Storm Prevention and Rescuing, flooding has also occurred in Huế City and Phú Lộc District, with the water at an average height of 0.2m to 0.5m on the roads.

Authorities of the communes and wards with flooded roads have erected signboards to inform commuters of the strong currents.

All schools have been ordered to shut down yesterday. White collar employees in public agencies were also dismissed earlier from work this afternoon.

Meanwhile, a 40-year-old man in Hương Trà District reportedly drowned when he was driving his buffalo home. The rescue centre has alerted people to the risk of landslides in prone areas and to the danger of travelling by boat during strong currents.

Water level in the province’s large rivers – Hương, Bồ and Ô Lâu – continues to rise, with reservoirs releasing water at an average volume of 1,000cu.m. per second. — VNS

Việt Nam News captured scences of flooding in Thừa Thiên - Huế: