Residents in Cam Lộ District, central Quảng Trị Province are evacuated from flooded areas on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồ Cầu

CENTRAL REGION — Five people have died and six remain missing as of Thursday after flash floods hit the northern and central regions.

The tropical depression combined with a cold wave has caused heavy rain, resulting in landslides and leaving people trapped due to serious flooding.

According to the National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the five dead people are from the central province of Quảng Trị, Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai.

Areas located in lowlands and along the rivers in Thạch Phong, Hải Lăng, Gio Linh, Vĩnh Linh, Cam Lộ districts and Đông Hà City, Quảng Trị Province have been hit the hardest.

Torrential rain with a capacity of 200-400mm began Wednesday night.

Rivers in Quảng Trị are predicted to rise and reach high warning levels.

Nguyễn Hữu Cẩn, a resident of Bích La Thượng Hamlet in Triệu Long Commune, Triệu Phong District, said villagers had to stay up all night to relocate from their properties to safe places as the water level of Thạch Hãn River rose quickly.

“In only several hours, the water rose quickly and flooded into houses,” he said.

Other areas in mountainous districts of Hướng Hóa and Đakrông in Quảng Trị have been left isolated. Local authorities have mobilised forces to help local residents move to safe places.

Rescuers are searching for two men missing in a boat that overturned.

In central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, rainfall reached more than 600mm in A Lưới District, causing a serious landslide covering 50m and traffic congestion to National Highway No 49 which connects with Huế City.

Nine kilometers of coastal areas running through five communes of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province have eroded.

Heavy rain inundated dozens of hectares of crops in Quảng Điền District. Strong winds in the coastal areas and tides have made flood drainage more difficult.

In central Quảng Nam Province, water flooded into schools and caused damage to desks, chairs and school supplies in Tây Giang and Nam Trà My districts.

Flooded roads made traveling in those areas difficult.

As of 10am on Thursday, central Quảng Bình Province had 25 hamlets in seven communes isolated by rising water levels.

More than 100 houses in Tân Hóa Commune, Quảng Bình have been flooded under the water at the height of 1.2 to 1.5m.

Local authorities of central Đà Nẵng City asked for relocating fishing cages and banned local residents and boats from entering low land and flooded areas.

Schools in Quảng Trị, Quảng Bình, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng closed during the bad weather and students were told to stay at home.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc sent a notice asking authorities of central and Central Highlands regions to carry out measures in response to the heavy downpours, flash floods, landslides and abnormal weather phenomena to ensure safety and minimise losses for local residents.

It is important to check and review areas at risk of floods, flash floods and landslides, and to promptly evacuate people from these areas, he said.

Heavy rain is forecasted to continue in the central region until Saturday. — VNS