Large wooden bodies, garbage, dead livestock and many household items are densely packed on the surface of Ban Chat hydropower lake (Lai Chau).
After the flash flood that occurred in Muong Than commune, the fierce water flow swept everything from upstream to the reservoir of about 65km2, turning this place into the end point of the flood and also the key area in the search for missing victims.
About 10km from the landslide site by road, Ban Chat lake has been continuously searched by hundreds of officers, soldiers and people in recent days.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) were mobilized to search from above, coordinating with police, military and local authorities to zone suspected locations.
According to people directly involved in the rescue, the amount of wood, garbage and mud covering the lake surface made it difficult to observe from the air and approach by boat.
After many hours of searching, functional forces discovered livestock, poultry and many properties swept away by water from the flash flood area.
To date, some victims have been found in the lake area, but the search for the 2 missing people continues.
Ban Chat Hydropower Reservoir is a reservoir of Ban Chat Hydropower Plant on the Nam Mu River, with a water surface area of about 65km2 when storing water.
With its location downstream of the flash flood area, the lake has become a place where most of the soil, rocks, trees and objects swept away by water after natural disasters are concentrated.
Previously, from July 15 to 19, Lai Chau recorded a prolonged heavy rain with common rainfall of 150-300mm, many places nearly 400mm and some points accumulated over 900mm.
Extreme rain has caused flash floods and serious landslides in Team 11, Muong Than commune, causing many casualties, hundreds of houses damaged or swept away, hundreds of hectares of rice and crops damaged, and many traffic routes cut off.
Up to now, search and rescue work is still being urgently deployed in the Ban Chat lake area.
Amidst the vast lake surface, scattered with trees and mud after the flood, each search is carried out with the hope of bringing the missing people back to their families soon.
At the same time, helping the locality gradually overcome the consequences of the particularly serious natural disaster.
Towards the people affected by floods
From July 16 to July 17, 2026, prolonged heavy rain occurred in Muong Than commune, Lai Chau province, causing flash floods, landslides and serious landslides, sweeping away 13 houses of people. By 5 pm on July 20, 2026, natural disasters had caused 07 deaths, 02 missing people and 08 injured people, causing heavy damage to people and property, pushing many families into extremely difficult circumstances.
One piece when hungry is equal to one package when full", with the spirit of mutual affection that has been a beautiful image of the Vietnamese people for generations, the Golden Heart Charity Fund calls on philanthropists at home and abroad to join hands to share with people affected by storms and floods to have food, clothing, shelter, and students to have books to go to school....
The Golden Heart Charity Fund sincerely thanks the precious feelings of agencies, businesses, and philanthropists at home and abroad.
All help please send to: Tam Long Vang Charity Fund, No. 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Phone: 024. 39232756. Account number (STK): 113000000758 at Vietinbank Hoan Kiem Branch, Hanoi. Account number: 0021000303088 - at Vietcombank - Hanoi Branch, Account number: 12410001122556 - at BIDV - Hoan Kiem Branch. Or scan the QR code below:
