Helicopters of the 18th Army Corps took off to rescue isolated people in Son La

This afternoon (August 1), the Ministry of National Defense directed the 18th Army Corps to conduct a rescue flight for 8 people isolated by floods in Son La province.

Information from the Department of Rescue and Relief (General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Ministry of National Defense ) said that at 3:00 p.m. on August 1, the unit received information from the combat duty of the General Staff (Military Region 2) about 8 people in Anh Trung village, Muong Hung commune (Son La) being isolated due to floods.

The helicopter was sent by the Ministry of National Defense to Son La for search and rescue.

PHOTO: QĐND

Immediately after that, the Department of Rescue and Relief coordinated with the Air Defense - Air Force and the 18th Army Corps to agree to be ready to use helicopters and air search and rescue forces to rescue 8 people trapped and isolated by floods. In addition, the Ministry of National Defense reported on the plan to send helicopters to rescue people.

The Ministry of National Defense has directed the 18th Army Corps to conduct rescue flights in Son La province. At about 15:54, aircraft number VN-8624 took off, and is expected to reach the scene at about 16:50 to rescue people.

According to a report from Son La province, as of 2:00 p.m. on August 1, floods in the province have caused severe damage in many places.

Specifically, in Muong Lan commune, 4 houses were swept away, collapsed and many houses were affected; many rice fields were flooded; Song Ma commune, at Km325+400 - Km325+500 National Highway 12 (road to Muong Lam commune) is blocked due to deep water (1.4 - 1.6 m); Pung Banh commune, the road from Dom Cang to Pung Banh commune is flooded 2 m; 10 villages are completely isolated; Chieng So commune: Na Loc 1, 2 villages; Te Tien village, Pau Hay village are isolated (people have been evacuated to safety). 1 suspension bridge in Te Tien village is broken; Muong Lam commune, Km302+530 - Km302+640 is flooded about 1.2 m above the road surface. 1 suspension bridge across Ma river was swept away, people and property of 22 households of 4 villages were evacuated to safe shelters...

The Ma River water level is rising, at 2:00 p.m. the same day on the Ma River at Xa La hydrological station (Chieng Khuong commune) it was 28,370 cm, 220 cm higher than alarm level 3 (40 cm higher than at 1:30 p.m.). Flood water levels continue to rise.

In addition, floods affected many civil works in communes; electricity, communication and traffic systems were seriously disrupted and many roads were damaged.

Faced with the complicated natural disaster situation, on August 1, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Son La province signed a telegram to respond to rain, floods, and inundation in communes along the Ma River; signed a decision to establish a forward command center to respond to storms, floods, and inundation in the province; announced a natural disaster emergency to respond to heavy rain, flash floods, landslides, and land subsidence in July and early August 2025 in the communes of Bo Sinh, Chieng So, Huoi Mot, Muong Lam, Nam Lau, Nam Ty, Song Ma, Muong Lan, Chieng Khoong, Chieng Khuong, Sop Cop, Tan Yen, and Mai Son.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/truc-thang-cua-binh-doan-18-cat-canh-cuu-nguoi-bi-co-lap-o-son-la-185250801163026215.htm