HANOI — Heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides in northern Vietnam, killing at least four people, damaging hundreds of hectares of farmland and disrupting transport across several mountainous provinces, authorities said.
Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said the fatalities were reported in Lai Chau Province, where torrential rain also left several people missing and others injured. The ministry's Disaster and Dike Management Authority said rescue teams continued search operations while local authorities evacuated residents from areas threatened by further landslides.
The flooding affected Lai Chau as well as the neighboring provinces of Lao Cai, Dien Bien and Son La, where swollen rivers, flash floods and landslides damaged homes, roads and agricultural land. Authorities reported that around 300 hectares of rice fields, crops and aquaculture areas were devastated in Muong Than Commune alone, while additional farmland across the northern mountainous region also suffered significant losses.
Officials said dozens of homes collapsed or were damaged, with hundreds of households either evacuated or affected by flooding. Landslides blocked sections of National Highways 32 and 279 and several local roads, hampering rescue efforts and isolating some communities. Power outages were also reported in affected areas.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that further showers and thunderstorms were expected across northern Vietnam, maintaining the risk of additional flash floods and landslides in steep terrain. Authorities urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert and follow evacuation instructions as unstable weather continued.
The government has mobilized rescue personnel and emergency responders to assist affected communities, search for missing people and restore damaged transport links. Damage assessments were continuing, with officials estimating losses running into hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong across the affected region.
Vietnam experiences its heaviest rainfall during the June-to-September monsoon season, when mountainous areas are particularly vulnerable to flash floods and landslides. The country regularly suffers weather-related disasters that damage infrastructure and agriculture, prompting authorities to strengthen disaster preparedness and early warning systems.
Rescue operations and damage assessments remained underway on Monday, while meteorological authorities continued to warn of the potential for further heavy rainfall across northern provinces.
