Vietnam floods leave at least 14 dead or missing

At least 14 people have been reported dead or missing following severe flooding caused by prolonged heavy rains in the northern Vietnamese province of Dien Bien.

via Vietnamese media that hours of intense rainfall on Thursday evening caused river levels to rise sharply, leading to flooding in low-lying areas and sudden landslides in mountainous villages.

“In Dien Bien province, 128 homes have been affected by flooding: 97 are submerged, 14 damaged by landslides, and 17 swept away or buried underwater,” the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue stated in an emergency report.

The flooding has also disrupted transportation and electricity in several areas. Rescue efforts are being hampered by ongoing heavy rains.

Vietnam’s rainy season lasts from June to November, during which floods and storms claim hundreds of lives annually and cause millions of dollars in damage. In 2018, around 65 people died during the monsoon season.