Flooding and landslides in northern Vietnam have claimed three lives, as reported by state media on Monday, following heavy rain that has partially submerged thousands of residences.
Pictures on state media depict the cascading water along the steep roads of mountainous Ha Giang province, a favorite destination for motorcycle tours, with overturned vehicles left in the floodwaters unattended.
Residents in Ha Giang city found themselves on rooftops awaiting rescue.
The province has been experiencing heavy and continuous rainfall since Saturday, resulting in numerous homes being partially submerged and extensive road damage, according to state media reports.
The high water levels on the Lo river triggered “floods and landslides,” as per a statement on the provincial authorities’ website.
Access to three bordering communes with China has been disrupted due to landslides, the statement added.
As per state-run Voice of Vietnam, three individuals lost their lives after being swept away in floodwaters or buried in landslides.
Over the weekend, serious flooding was also witnessed in the northern port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province, home to the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay.
Vietnam frequently faces severe weather during the rainy season from June to November.
Last year, 169 people were reported dead or missing due to natural disasters like floods and landslides in the Southeast Asian nation.
Scientists have cautioned that global extreme weather events are becoming more severe and frequent due to climate change.
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