Floods still rampant in Bình Định

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Local authorities have been asked to complete re-inforcing a broken dyke on one river in Bình Định Province and inspect risky points around the clock to prevent further outbursts.

Bình Định Province People’s Committee chairman Hồ Quốc Dũng on Monday visited areas suffering flood losses this week, checking on measures to prevent similar disasters and making sure residents were getting sufficient food and other aid. 

Since early November, provincial residents have suffered four floods and one typhoon.

Statistics reported nearly 26,900 homes were waterlogged by floodwaters, four collapsed.

A total of 724m of river dykes, 1.3km of rice-field canals and five bridges were damaged. Flooded roads cut off many areas.

According to dantri.com.vn online newspaper, many provincial roads from Tuy Phước Town to Phước Thắng and Phước Hòa communes are still flooded under up to a metre of water. Residents have to travel by boat or truck, not by walking or peddling.

Nguyễn Đình Thuận, chairman of Tuy Phước District People’s Committee, said rain combined with water flowing from upstream and rising tide-water caused eastern communes to become deeply waterlogged.

Gò Chàm River dyke in Phước Hưng Commune was found to have cracks in several areas.

Thuận said that more than 11,140 households in five communes were inundated and isolated by the floods. Floodwater overflowed the Tri Thiện River dyke downstream from Thạnh Hòa dam in Phước Quang Commune, causing deep surface erosion for 30m.

Tuy Phước District authorities supplied 1,000 sandbags to upgrade embankments to prevent landslides.

Floodwaters also overflowed 10m of dyke on the Cây Me River and 9m of dyke along the Trường Giang River.

Chairman Hồ Quốc Dũng warned the heavy rains and flood were reportedly continuing so local authorities have to prepare flood-coping measures.  

Meanwhile, in Quy Nhơn City, more than 7,000 households in Bùi Thị Xuân, Nhơn Bình and Nhơn Phú wards are still flooded.

Hùng Vương Road, a main road linking districts with Quy Nhơn Port, is deeply waterlogged.

People have to travel by three-wheel vehicles or small trucks while all trading activities have stopped.

Phan Trọng Hồ, director of the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said due to heavy rains, the levels of water in reservoirs had increased rapidly.

At present, 165 reservoirs in the province are now at 86 per cent of total design capacity (578 million cu.m), 150 per cent more than in the same period last year. — Đức