China Central Television (CCTV) reported that at least 1 person has died, 3 people were injured and 8 others are missing after a flash flood and landslide that occurred at 5:00 a.m. on May 23 in Tam Xa village, Long Thang district, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 10 houses were damaged, the remaining households were evacuated safely.
Xinhua News Agency reported that two serious landslides occurred consecutively in Xuong Thach and Qua Oa towns in Dai Phuong district, Guizhou province in the early morning of May 22. The first match occurred at 3am, leaving 2 people stranded and was later confirmed dead.
The second incident occurred at 9am, burying 19 people from 8 households. The rain from the previous night cut off all roads to the area.
The local government has raised the warning of heavy rain to red - the highest level in the four-level system - with rain forecast in some areas exceeding 150 mm within just 3 hours.
In the context of increasingly unusual floods, a new study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences has shown that ocean temperature models can act as early warnings for prolonged heavy rains in China in the summer. This is a dangerous type of rain, often lasting for many days and causing large-scale flooding and landslides.
The research team led by Dr. Luu Hieu Vu (Quang Dong University of Oceanography) analyzed climate data from 1961 to 2020 and identified 6 types of large sea temperature fluctuations that have a strong impact on prolonged rainfall - notably the tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean. These fluctuations are responsible for 85% of prolonged extreme rains in China.
Experts warn that this phenomenon will not only affect China. Vietnam, located in the downstream and in the monsoon area of East Asia, is completely susceptible to a series of shocks, from increased extreme rainfall to flash floods and landslides in the mountainous areas of the North and North Central regions.
The weather forecast bulletin of the Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that on May 24, there is a forecast of heavy rain in the Northern and North Central regions, warning of local heavy rain, tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong gusts of wind in the South Central, Central Highlands and South regions.
In the Northeast: Rainfall 40-100mm, locally over 200mm.
Northwest, Northern Delta: Rainfall 30-70mm, locally over 120mm.
North Central region: Rainfall 30-80mm, locally over 150mm.
Central Highlands and South Central: Rainfall 20-40mm, locally over 70mm.
Heavy rain in the North is forecast to gradually decrease from the night of May 24, in the North Central region, it will decrease from May 25.
The Vietnam Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting also said that on May 24, a cold front will affect the Northeast. From around May 25, cold air will be strengthened to affect the North Central region and some places in the Northwest.
