Deputy director of hydropower plant swept away by flood.

While traveling from his home to work, Mr. Vu Manh Thang, Deputy Director of Phu Mau Hydropower Plant (Van Ban, Lao Cai), was swept away by floodwaters.

At noon on July 28, Mr. Vu Manh Thang (born in 1980), Deputy Director of Phu Mau Hydropower Plant, was swept away by floodwaters while crossing the Nhu stream ford in Liem Phu commune (Van Ban district, Lao Cai province).

Liem Phu commune reported the incident to the Van Ban District People's Committee, requesting assistance in organizing a search for the victim. At approximately 2:30 PM, the rescue team found Mr. Thang's body more than one kilometer from the ford.

Also in Van Ban district, on July 27th, a landslide involving tens of thousands of cubic meters of rock, stretching over 50 meters, occurred on National Highway 279, completely blocking traffic from the district to Lai Chau. By the afternoon of July 28th, the landslide site was cleared. However, due to the narrow road, authorities have to regulate traffic flow, allowing vehicles to pass through every two hours in both directions.

Water levels in the Nam La stream, in the Son La city area, are at alarm level 2.
Photo: Lao Cai Newspaper.

In Son La, one person, Vang A Mang (from A Ma village, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau district), was also swept away by the floodwaters. Heavy rains caused significant damage in the area. On the night of July 28th, water levels in the Nam La and Song Ma streams reached alarm levels 2 and 3. The Nam Pan stream in Mai Son district reached its peak flood level at 4 PM on July 28th. To combat flooding in Son La city, the Provincial Flood and Storm Control Command directed floodwaters to be drained through underground caves on the Nam La stream and the Bom Bay flood drainage area.

In this province, many roads are flooded and blocked by landslides, such as Road 106 from Son La City to Muong La District. On Route 101A on National Highway 6, at the Hua Tat Pass bypass, a large amount of silt has slid down and covered the roadbed. In particular, in the section through Moc Chau District, heavy rain caused the roadbed to collapse, resulting in a 12-meter-long section of road being cut off.

Meanwhile, across most of Northern and North Central Vietnam, heavy rain fell over the weekend, with amounts generally ranging from 70-150 mm. Some areas received even more rainfall, such as Son La (250 mm), Diem Mac (Thai Nguyen) (150 mm), Mong Cai (Quang Ninh) (210 mm), and Lang Chanh (Thanh Hoa) (200 mm)...

The rain is due to the influence of a low-pressure system developing over the Northern region, extending from the lower atmosphere to an altitude of 5,000 meters. Rain is forecast to continue today and tomorrow. People in mountainous areas should be wary of flash floods and landslides.

According to VnExpress - TH