Record rain of nearly 1000mm, Nghe An has 1 death, more than 5000 houses flooded

According to a quick report from the Standing Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of Nghe An province, due to the influence of cold air combined with high-altitude easterly wind disturbances, from October 14 to 16, 2019, Nghe An province experienced heavy to very heavy rain; Rainfall measured in Vinh city: 939.0mm; Hung Nguyen: 513.8mm; Nam Dan: 412.0mm; Cua Hoi: 329.0mm; Thanh Chuong: 373.2mm.

Cars and many properties of Vinh city residents are submerged in water. Photo: Thanh Duy

Heavy rain has caused most of the roads in Vinh city to be deeply flooded, with water levels ranging from 0.3m to 0.7m. Especially the roads that were flooded over 1.0m deep are: Le Nin Street, Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Le Ninh Street, the road behind Vinh market; Dang Thai Than Street.

Many blocks and hamlets were flooded from 0.3 to 0.5m. In particular, block 12, Cua Nam ward and blocks 1, 14, 15, Trung Do ward, were flooded 1.0m; blocks 1, 13, 14, 15, Nghi Kim commune were flooded 0.8m; blocks 13, 14, 15, Ben Thuy ward were flooded 1.4m; block 2, Le Loi ward, were flooded 0.3m; block 8, Le Loi ward, were flooded 1.0m in some places; block 8, Truong Thi ward, were flooded 0.2m; block 13, Ben Thuy ward, were flooded 2.0m.

At the West Communal House area of ​​Vinh Market, water reached the top of the kiosks, and all goods were submerged in water. Photo: Quang An

The whole province has 5,250 flooded houses (including Nghi Loc district: 100 households, Hung Nguyen district: 150 households, Vinh city: 5,000 households). In Vinh city alone, about 700 households in Trung Do and Ben Thuy wards had to evacuate, Vinh city People's Committee mobilized about 800 people to support the evacuation.

The whole province has 2,819 hectares of vegetables flooded (Nghi Loc district: 1,100 hectares, Hung Nguyen district: 236 hectares, Nam Dan district: 1,400 hectares, Vinh city: 83 hectares); The flooded aquaculture area is up to 1,668 hectares (Nghi Loc district: 120 hectares, Nam Dan district: 953 hectares, Hung Nguyen district: 226 hectares, Vinh city: 369 hectares).

In Vinh city, 4 houses collapsed. On Quyet mountain alone, landslides caused 3 houses to collapse, many others are at risk of collapsing. Trung Do ward has evacuated people and moved them to safety. In Cua Nam ward, a household next to T1 canal had a landslide that caused part of its house to collapse.

Authorities use rescue boats to help people cross flooded sections in Vinh city. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The Thap canal dike in hamlet 3, Hung Dao commune, Hung Nguyen district was flooded for about 1.5 km. The district People's Committee mobilized about 500 people, agencies and organizations in the district, with the support of the Provincial Military Command, to handle the overflow and protect the dike.

Heavy rain also caused National Highway 48E, section Km225+300 (Nghi Phuong Commune, Nghi Loc District) to be flooded 0.4m. On National Highway 15, rocks and soil fell onto the road surface at Km344+00 - Km346+00. Many provincial roads in Hung Nguyen were also flooded...

Floods have caused human losses in Nghe An. Mr. Nguyen L., born in 1987, hometown: Binh Phuoc province, temporarily residing in Ho Chi Minh City; settled in the US; Cause of death: Returning to his wife's hometown in hamlet 3, Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, went to watch fishing and was struck by lightning at 8:00 a.m. on October 16, 2019. His family took him to Hung Nguyen district hospital for emergency treatment but he did not survive.

On October 16, the Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue of Nghe An province issued a telegram to respond to heavy rain.

The content of the telegram clearly states: To proactively respond and promptly handle incidents caused by heavy rain, the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control requests the Chairmen and Heads of the Steering Committees for Disaster Prevention and Control of districts, cities and towns; the Provincial Military Command, the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Provincial Police, provincial departments, branches and sectors, Directors of irrigation and hydropower companies in the province and related units to urgently implement the following contents:

1. Regularly monitor and update weather, rain and flood developments to proactively respond. Check and review residential areas living in low-lying areas, along rivers, streams and areas at risk of landslides, flooding, flash floods, downstream of reservoirs, have plans to proactively evacuate people from dangerous areas, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property.

2. Check the safety and operation of works in irrigation systems, proactively drain water in a timely manner in accordance with the situation of each locality. Implement measures to protect production, safety of dikes, dams with incidents, and works under construction; proactively drain water to prevent flooding in urban areas, especially in Vinh city and surrounding areas. Note: Pump stations for drainage in Vinh city must operate at full capacity 24/24 hours.

3. Proactively deploy forces and means to control and guide people and vehicles through culverts, spillways, flooded traffic areas, landslides, ferry piers and ferry terminals to ensure people's safety.

4. Departments, branches and members of the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control, according to their assigned functions, tasks, fields and areas, shall deploy measures to respond to heavy rain; Maintain forces and means ready to respond, rescue and salvage when bad situations occur.

5. Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper and mass media increase broadcasting frequency and duration; update and promptly report on developments of heavy rain, forecasts, and response directions of central and local agencies so that agencies and people know, proactively respond, and avoid subjectivity.

6. Be on duty 24/7, regularly report on heavy rain to the Standing Office of the Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Control and Search and Rescue for timely handling.