Lao Cai has continuously experienced moderate to heavy rain in recent days, with very heavy rain in some places, causing the water level on many rivers and streams to rise.
Recorded by reporters on the morning of July 2nd, the old Lao Cai city area had rain, on the Red River through Lao Cai ward, the water level has increased significantly compared to the dry season, the water flow is cloudy and fast.
In some areas along the river, water has flooded into people's crops. Local authorities are strengthening monitoring the development of water levels, and at the same time warning people not to approach riverbanks and wharves to ensure safety.
According to the Lao Cai Provincial Hydrometeorological Station, heavy rain continues to be maintained, causing soil moisture in many areas to be close to or reaching saturation. In the coming hours, the locality will still have showers and thunderstorms, with common rainfall from 10-30 mm, in some places over 50 mm.
The meteorological agency warns of the risk of flash floods on small rivers and streams, landslides in hilly areas, traffic road slopes and flooding in low-lying areas.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, a resident living near the Red River bank in Lao Cai ward, shared that in recent days it has been raining continuously, so the water level has risen quite quickly.
After only a few days of rain, the Red River water passing through Lao Cai has risen and flowed faster. Due to the strong current, we live around the area and regularly monitor the developments of rain and floods, and at the same time remind young children not to go to the riverbank area to play to ensure safety," Mr. Hung said.
The Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of Lao Cai province said that by the end of July 2, the water level on rivers and streams continued to fluctuate upwards.
This flood may cause the water level on the Thao River at Lao Cai station to reach alarm level 1, while many small rivers and streams are likely to exceed alarm level 1 to alarm level 2.
Functional sectors recommend that localities proactively review areas at risk of flooding, flash floods, and landslides to promptly evacuate people when necessary.
Localities with suspension bridges and underground spillways across rivers and streams need to arrange guard forces, not allowing people and vehicles to pass when the water rises.
Previously, on the afternoon of June 29, in Ngu Chi Son commune, a truck was swept away by floodwaters and trapped in the middle of a stream while moving into a construction site. Police and people deployed rescue and removed the vehicle from the dangerous area after more than an hour.
According to forecasts, thunderstorms in Lao Cai will continue in the coming days. In addition to the risk of flash floods and landslides, people also need to be wary of tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong gusts of wind during thunderstorms.
Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee on July 2nd informed that from June 26th to July 1st, moderate rain, heavy rain to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms occurred in Lao Cai province, causing damage to housing, agricultural production, transportation and people's infrastructure in many communes and wards.
Heavy rain affected 44 houses, nearly 46 hectares of crops were flooded and damaged, 619 poultry died or were swept away, nearly 1.8 hectares of aquaculture were damaged, many traffic routes and infrastructure works were landslides and damaged. Initial estimated total damage is over 1.3 billion VND.
Some images recorded on the morning of July 2:
