Thousands evacuated as floods swamp Hanoi outskirts

HANOI – Severe flooding has forced the authorities in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi to evacuate nearly 8,500 residents, with more than 10,500 people already affected and plans under way to move around 38,500 others, mostly in the outlying communes of Trung Gia, Thu Lam, Tien Theng, and Da Phuc.

A report from the city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment on the morning of Oct 10 said rising waters from the Cau and Ca Lo

rivers had inundated a number of riverside communes,

including Kim Anh, Noi Bai, Soc Son, Tien Thang, and Trung Gia.

The city’s Civil Defence Command said 5,866 residents in Trung Gia Commune – from the hamlets of An Lac, Do Tan, Lai Son, Do, and Trung Kien – remain at risk and need to be relocated.

In Da Phuc Commune, around 30,000 people from 33 hamlets are also in danger and may need to move to safer areas.

The authorities plan to prioritise local, on-site evacuation where possible, using multi-storey buildings for shelter, while others will be temporarily relocated to military and police barracks in nearby communes.

Floodwaters breach dykes

Floodwaters from the Cau and Ca Lo rivers have overtopped the surface of the embankment along a 7.5km stretch, with levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.2m above the crest.

The local authorities in Da Phuc acted swiftly to reinforce the dyke system and protect lives and property from the onset of flooding.

The department reported that while water levels in major rivers flowing through Hanoi, including the Da, Hong (Red) and Duong rivers, remain below Alarm Level 1, they are still high.

The Cau River has exceeded Alarm Level 3 by 2.06m and now stands 0.66m above its designed flood level, while the Ca Lo River is 1.56m above Alarm Level 3 and 0.06m above its design flood level of 9.5m.

Water levels in most of Hanoi’s irrigation reservoirs, including Suoi Hai, Dong Quan, Tan Xa, Xuan Khanh, Quan Son, Van Son and Keo Ca, also remain high.

Crops submerged

As at 7am local time on Oct 10, Da Phuc Commune reported 978ha of rice and crops submerged, including 547ha in inland fields and 431ha outside the riverbanks.

Irrigation systems have sustained multiple incidents, including a 15m embankment slide at the Tang Long pumping station, a 30m slide along the Ben Tre drainage canal and more than 250m of irrigation channels damaged or tilted.

Six local road sections have also been reported as partially flooded.

On the Ta Ca Lo dyke, three landslide spots have appeared, with sections at K17+700 and K8+270 each collapsing over 30m.

In Trung Gia Commune, severe erosion and washouts have caused water to breach the Ha Thai railway embankment near Thong Nhat, Trung Kien, and Do hamlets along a 20m stretch. Eighteen hamlets, home to 4,041 households, have been isolated.

The authorities have also urged farmers to harvest their late-season rice as quickly as possible.

As at Oct 10, about 500ha remain unharvested. VIETNAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK