Northern Vietnam and Lam Dong Province Warned of Flash Floods and Landslides Due to Heavy Rain

In the past 24 hours (from 6 PM on July 28 to 6 PM on July 29), areas in the northern provinces and Lam Dong province experienced moderate to heavy rainfall, with some locations receiving very heavy rain. According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, rainfall exceeding 60mm per hour was recorded in several areas, including Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, and Lam Dong provinces. The soil moisture model indicates that some areas in these provinces have reached near-saturation (over 85%) or are already saturated. In the next 3-6 hours, rain is expected to continue in these regions, with cumulative rainfall predicted to be 10-30mm in the North, with some areas exceeding 70mm, and 20-40mm in Lam Dong, with some areas exceeding 100mm. Consequently, a risk of flash floods on small rivers and landslides on steep slopes in many communes/wards is warned for the next 6 hours. Specific areas in Lai Chau, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, and Lam Dong provinces are named. Flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to flooding can have severe negative impacts on the environment and threaten people's lives. They can also cause localized traffic congestion, affecting vehicle movement, and destroy civil and economic infrastructure, causing damage to production and socio-economic activities.