Da Nang suffers historical flooding, one death reported

As of 5am on October 15, serious flooding was seen in all districts and wards, drowning streets and houses, forcing locals to move to higher places.

The flooding killed one local, while a resident in Hoa An ward, Cam Le district who was swept away by flood water was rescued.

Flooding destroyed about 7.5 hectares of crops, while 2,524 power stations were damaged, affecting about 206,000 customers. So far, 1,032 of which have been fixed.

Rescuers help a man hit by flooding in Da Nang (Photo: VNA)

At 8:40pm on October 14, due to flooding and landslides, local authorities decided to shut Hai Van tunnels down to ensure safety for travellers. On October 15 morning, Hai Van 2 tunnel was reopened, while Hai Van 1 later the same day.

Currently, the locality is focusing on overcoming the flood consequences.

Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang asked local authorities to concentrate on clearing roads, ensuring food and water supply for people in flooded areas, and preventing diseases.

Torrential rains with rainfall of 80-150mm and even 220mm are forecast to continue in Da Nang until October 16, raising the water level in nearby rivers, leading to a high risk of flash flood and landslides.

Meanwhile, flooding has isolated many areas in the central province of Quang Tri and hinder traffic in many major roads.

The water levels on O Lau and Thach Han rivers is rising fast. The province has planned to evacuate 14,341 households with 53,005 people.

At the same time, torrential rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged many public works and seriously affected the transport system as well as production activities in Quang Nam province.

Efforts to overcome natural disaster consequences are underway.