Flooding kills 13 in central region

Residents of Quang Nam Province collect property from a flooded home. Photo Quang Nam Portal

The Centre of Flood and Storm Prevention in the Central and Central Highlands regions reported yesterday that six people from Bình Định Province were killed in the flooding, while the neighbouring Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Nam provinces lost four and three people, respectively.

A fisherman, Nguyễn Sơn, 49, from Bình Định, is still missing at sea, having been washed off a fishing vessel by high waves on November 29.

Another three residents were injured in the flooding.

The report also said over 100 houses in Bình Định and Quảng Ngãi, the two hardest-hit provinces, collapsed on Saturday, while over 12,500 ha of rice and vegetables were submerged.

Over 10,000 houses were inundated there, while rescue forces managed to move 260 families in Quảng Ngãi to safety.

Nearly 19,000 fowl and cattle in the two provinces died or were swept away since early last week.

Flooding also damaged 30km of roads in the two provinces, broke 130 irrigation dams and 10 bridges.

Bình Định was the most damaged locale, with 90 per cent of its farming lands and livestock deeply submerged.

Over 500 soldiers were called to help residents, while rescue forces brought logistics, medicine and water to the most flood-affected areas in the province,

The centre also reported that most reservoirs in the region were 90 to 96 per cent full, while 14 reservoirs of hydro-power plants and lakes began discharging water last Friday.

Water has started flowing toward streets on the Hoài River banks in Hội An city and rural villages.

Heavy rainfall and water discharged from hydro-power plants in Quảng Nam also caused heavy floods in rural districts and villages over the weekend.

Three children were drowned in flooding in Nông Sơn, Núi Thành and Phú Ninh districts last Saturday.

Over 1,100 houses in Nông Sơn, Núi Thành and the suburban Tam Kỳ city were also flooded and collapsed.

A minor quake registering 2.4 Richter scale hit the Sông Tranh 2 Hydro-power plant in Quảng Nam’s Bắc Trà My district on Saturday, but no damage was reported.

The flood prevention centre also warned that a cold spell is forecast to hit the region, and heavy rains will occur from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Bình Định till December 8, while strong winds and high waves (up to 4m) will occur from Thừa Thiên-Huế to Khánh Hòa provinces.

Quảng Ngãi has banned all passenger and fishing boats from sailing.