Bac Kan: 7 casualties due to early season flash floods

On the evening of May 18, the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention ( Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ) provided a quick report sent by Bac Kan province, reporting the overall damage after heavy rain caused flash floods and serious landslides in many localities in the province, especially Ba Be district.

Flash flood in Ba Be district ( Bac Kan province), May 18. Photo: Contributor

Specifically, according to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Bac Kan province, the heavy rain originating from the compressed low pressure trough combined with the wind convergence zone up to 3,000m caused moderate to very heavy rain, the rainfall measured in 12 hours at many locations ranged from 76mm to more than 215mm. In Yen Duong commune, the highest rainfall was 214.6mm, followed by Nam Cuong 172.2mm and Xuan Lac 155.4mm.

Crops destroyed in Ba Be district (Bac Kan province), May 18. Photo: Contributor

Regarding people : The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Bac Kan province confirmed that 4 people died and 3 people were injured. In Tan Luot village, Dong Phuc commune (Ba Be district), flash floods killed Mr. Nguyen Van Bac (born in 1945) and Ms. Duong Thi Mui (born in 1941), and slightly injured Mr. Trieu Van Du (born in 1969). In Phieng Kham village, Yen Duong commune, landslides took the lives of Mr. Ly Hoc Vuong (born in 1978) and Ms. Trieu Thi Dang (born in 1960), and injured Mr. Ly Nguyen Phi (born in 1958) and Ms. Ly Thi Dao (born in 1981).

Regarding housing : In the whole Bac Kan province, 23 houses suffered landslides, cracked walls, and sunken foundations in the communes of Xuan Lac (18 houses), Nam Cuong (2 houses), and An Thang (3 houses). In Ba Be district alone, many houses were swept away and collapsed, but the specific damage is still being counted. Low-lying villages in Dong Phuc and Quang Khe communes are still isolated.

Infrastructure damage caused by flash floods in Ba Be district (Bac Kan province), May 18. Photo: Contributor

Regarding agriculture and livestock : At least 40.13 hectares of crops were flooded or swept away, mainly corn and rice in Nam Cuong, Xuan Lac, Thuong An and Duc Van. 110 livestock and poultry died or went missing, including 10 cows and 80 cattle swept away in Yen Duong commune; 30 ducks were swept away in Xuan Lac commune. In Na Dong village (Chu Huong commune, Ba Be), 3 tons of sturgeon in the pond were completely lost.

Regarding traffic and electricity infrastructure : Many roads were eroded and blocked. Route DT257B had at least 3 blockages at Km23+700 to Km25+800. Rolling rocks appeared on the route around Ba Be Lake, and routes DT258 and DT253 had many places where rocks and soil overflowed onto the road. In Ngan Son district, the inter-village road of Coc Dan commune was eroded 30m, and in Luong Bang commune (Cho Don), the inter-village road was cut off, and cars could not pass.

Large boulders rolled down after the flash flood

Other infrastructure systems also suffered heavy damage : 4 electric poles were broken, 5 rigid bridges, 2 suspension bridges, 2 combined spillways and 3 stream embankments were damaged in Dia Linh commune, Ba Be district.

On the morning of May 18, Chairman of the Bac Kan Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Dang Binh directly went to Dong Phuc commune to direct the rescue work. Bac Kan province also set up many working groups to go to the affected localities to grasp the situation and support the people. The functional forces are focusing on overcoming the consequences, clearing roads, rebuilding houses and restoring the power grid.

Mud after the flood in Dong Phuc commune. Photo: Bac Kan Newspaper

The Office of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of Bac Kan province is still warning that heavy rain is still likely to continue in the northern mountainous areas. Authorities are asking people to stay calm and proactively evacuate areas at risk of landslides and flash floods, especially in low-lying areas, along streams, and weak hillsides.

PHUC VAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bac-kan-7-nguoi-thuong-vong-do-lu-quet-dau-mua-post795818.html