Pro-longed rainfall has caused serious landslides in Hoàng Su Phì District in the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang. — Photo vtv.vn

HÀ GIANG — One person has died and dozens of houses have damaged in two days of heavy rain and thunder in the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang, provincial authorities have said.

Lê Anh Dũng, deputy head of the provincial Sub-department of Irrigation, Agricultural and Rural Development and the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue, said authorities had directed the people's committees of districts and cities to focus on damage caused by the heavy rainfall between June 13 and 15.

The heavy rainfall, together with thunderstorms, tornadoes and strong winds, has caused serious damage to houses and crops, and blocked traffic.

One woman, residing in Xín Mần District’s Khuôn Lùng Commune, was killed following a lightning strike.

Houses in Hoàng Su Phì District were destroyed by rain-triggered landslides, while tens of hectares of rice fields and crops in Thông Nguyên, Nam Sơn and Hồ Thầu communes were submerged.

Lightning killed many cattle in Nậm Ty and Đông Minh communes, while aquaculture ponds in the district were swept away by torrential rainfall.

Falling soil and rocks due to prolonged downpours also blocked traffic on roads connecting Bắc Quang District to Hoàng Su Phì District and clogged local irrigation systems.

Initial losses have been estimated to reach almost VNĐ600 million (US$26,020), Dũng said.

To help local people stabilise their lives soon, the People's Committee of Xín Mần District has urged functional forces to supply food and necessities for affected households.

The committee has required the forces to clear the traffic and mobilise workers to control and guide traffic in landslide roads.

Local authorities were asked to calculate damages to property and crops in order to get support. The family of the lightning strike’s victim was given financial support of VNĐ2 million ($86.7).

Dũng said the province was expected to continue experiencing heavy rain, with high risk of flash floods and landslides.

The provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue has urged local authorities to inform local people, especially ethnic minorities, to be prepared for extreme weather.

The people’s committees of Bắc Quang, Quang Bình, Vị Xuyên, Quản Bạ, Đồng Văn districts and Hà Giang Province were asked to regularly monitor reservoirs and report to the committee if detecting any potential risks. — VNS