Northern Vietnam Warned of Flash Floods and Landslides Amid Heavy Rainfall

Northern Vietnam is forecast to experience moderate to heavy rainfall, with some areas potentially receiving over 200mm of rain, from the evening of July 23 to July 24. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued warnings for potential flash floods and landslides in many localities due to the high intensity of the rainfall. According to the center, scattered showers and thunderstorms occurred in the northern mountainous regions on July 22, with some stations recording over 70mm of rainfall. For instance, Yen Binh in Lao Cai Province recorded 105.4mm, and Thượng Minh in Thai Nguyen Province recorded 99.6mm. From the evening of July 23 to July 24, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected across the northern region, with rainfall amounts generally ranging from 30-100mm, and locally exceeding 200mm. The forecast highlights the risk of intense rainfall exceeding 100mm within a 3-hour period. Additionally, scattered showers and thunderstorms are predicted for the northern region from the evening of July 22 to July 23, with rainfall of 10-30mm, and locally over 80mm. The thunderstorms may bring the risk of tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong gusts of wind. From the night of July 24 to July 25, the northern region is expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall of 20-50mm, with some areas experiencing locally heavy rainfall exceeding 100mm. The total rainfall from the evening of July 23 to July 25 in the northern region is projected to be between 70-150mm, with some areas possibly receiving over 300mm. The Central Highlands and Southern regions are also forecast to have rain, with rainfall amounts of 20-50mm, and locally heavy to very heavy rainfall exceeding 100mm. The meteorological agency also warned of the risk of flash floods on small rivers and streams, and landslides on steep slopes in numerous communes and wards within the next 6 hours. Specific areas identified as high-risk include many localities in Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Sơn La, Phú Thọ, Lào Cai, Tuyên Quang, and Thái Nguyên provinces. Vietnam, while experiencing economic growth under its one-party system, is vulnerable to extreme weather events due to its geography, with large areas of lowlands and mountainous terrain. The northern mountainous regions, in particular, face challenges with infrastructure development, exacerbating their susceptibility to natural disasters. Given its proximity to China, meteorological information sharing and disaster response cooperation are also crucial.