Record flooding hits Vietnam city, eight killed in north

HANOI: Record floods submerged streets in several communities in Vietnam on Wednesday (Oct 8), with at least eight people killed this week, the government said.

Tens of thousands were left stuck at home or fleeing floodwaters that reached the tops of cars and rooftops in areas of Thai Nguyen city, about 80km north of the capital Hanoi.

The environment ministry said eight people were killed in flash floods and landslides in Vietnam’s mountainous north since Monday, and five others were missing.

By Wednesday morning, the weather bureau said the level of the Cau river, running across Thai Nguyen city, was more than a metre higher than the previous record level of 28.81m – when Typhoon Yagi devastated the country in September last year.

Overnight Tuesday and Wednesday morning, social media users posted pleas for help as their relatives and friends were left stranded with no electricity and few provisions in the provinces of Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang and Lang Son.

Thai Nguyen city is the capital of Thai Nguyen province.

“Our ground floor (in Thai Nguyen province) was totally flooded. My parents and five kids were stuck, with not enough food and water. No communication since late Tuesday. They need urgent help,” Thoan Vu posted online alongside hundreds of similar pleas.