As of 4:00 p.m. on August 1, floods in Son La province have caused severe damage in many localities. Many villages in the communes along the Ma River of Son La province were deeply flooded, causing traffic disruption.
In Muong Lan commune, floods caused 4 houses to be swept away, collapsed and many houses were affected; many rice fields were flooded.
National Highway 12, section at Km325+400-Km325+500, section through Song Ma commune (road to Muong Lam commune) is being blocked due to flooding water from 1.4 - 1.6m deep.
Pung Banh commune, the road from Dam Cang to Pung Banh commune is flooded 2m, in the commune there are 10 villages completely isolated.
For Chieng So commune, Na Loc 1, Na Loc 2, Te Tien, Pau Hay villages are completely isolated. Currently, the local government has evacuated households to safety, a suspension bridge in Te Tien village has broken.
Bo Sinh commune, from Km295+340 to Km295+430 was flooded about 1.5m deep. Because the Ma River water is continuing to rise, traffic in this area is completely paralyzed.
In Muong Lam commune, at Km302+530-Km302+640, the flood was about 1.2m deep from the road surface; sweeping away a suspension bridge across the Ma River. Local authorities have had to evacuate 22 households from 4 villages to safe shelters.
For Sop Cop commune, 1 household with 8 people in Na Dia village was isolated and rescued by authorities to a safe area; 1 house was swept away by floodwaters.
Muong Hung commune, the water level at the upstream of station 303 is 70cm different before and after the dam, currently the water flow through Muong Hung Hydropower Plant is about 3,500m3/s - 4,000 m3/s. Muong Hung Hydropower Plant has opened 7/7 floodgates according to the process.
In Huoi Mot Commune, floodwaters swept away the bridge leading to Nam Cong 3 Hydropower Plant, paralyzing traffic.
Floods also affected many civil works in communes; the power, communication and transportation systems were seriously disrupted and many roads were damaged.
In the face of complicated natural disasters, Chairman of Son La Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Viet signed a telegram to respond to floods and inundation in communes along the Ma River.
At the same time, sign a Decision to establish a forward Command Office to respond to storms, floods, and inundation in Son La province and declare a natural disaster emergency to respond to heavy rain, flash floods, landslides, and land subsidence in the communes of Bo Sinh, Chieng So, Huoi Mot, Muong Lam, Nam Lau, Nam Ty, Song Ma, Muong Lan, Chieng Khoong, Chieng Khuong, Sop Cop, Tan Yen, Mai Son.
Currently, the Army, Police and other forces of Son La province have approached the scene and established a Forward Command Department in Song Ma commune to direct coordination and support in overcoming the consequences.
The Civil Defense Commands of communes and local authorities are actively and urgently deploying response measures, while overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.
