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| Search and rescue efforts look for missing people washed away by the flood water in northern Yên Bái Province. - VNA/VNS Photo Thế Duyệt |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — The casualty toll in the devastated flood in Việt Nam’s northern and central regions has increased to 73, whilst another 30 remain missing.
The National Search and Rescue Committee and the Ministry of National Defence’s Department of Rescue on Sunday released the latest joint updates on the disaster that struck and left eight provinces in misery five days ago.
Until 5pm on Sunday, Hòa Bình was hit the hardest as 26 people were killed in the flood and landslide triggered by heavy rainfall, followed by Thanh Hóa with 15 casualties and Yên Bái with 14.
Nghệ An and Sơn La lost nine and six people, respectively, while Bắc Kạn, Quảng Trị and Hà Nam reported one death each.
The toll was likely to rise in the upcoming days as search and rescue efforts continued for 30 people missing in the flood and landslide.
Yên Bái’s rescue forces were looking for 14 people, while another 10 were washed away or still buried under rocks and soil in Hòa Bình. Thanh Hóa, Sơn La and Nghệ An had three persons, two persons and one person missing, respectively.
Landslide emergency
Hòa Bình People’s Committee Chairman, Nguyễn Văn Quang, on Sunday signed a decision announcing the landslide emergency in the province. Hòa Bình City and six districts of Kim Bôi, Tân Lạc, Đà Bắc and Lạc Sơn, as well as Mai Châu and Kỳ Sơn were put on high alert.
Also on Sunday, Thanh Hóa had to urgently evacuate 12 households in Thọ Xuân District’s Xuân Thiên Commune as a landslide along the Chu River dyke was hitting the foundation of the houses.
About 300m of the dyke was damaged, affecting 100 households in Xuân Thiên.
Out of 24 households in the red-alert zone, 12 were already evacuated. The authorities said they were planning to move the rest as soon as possible. — VNS
