HANOI: A deadly flash flood struck Vietnam’s northern mountainous region over the weekend, claiming five lives and leaving one person missing. Heavy rains triggered the disaster in Son La province late Saturday, destroying 22 homes and damaging many more, according to the agriculture ministry.
Three victims were recovered on Monday, adding to two earlier fatalities. Rescue teams continue searching for the missing individual. The floods also devastated farmland, wiping out over 445 acres of crops and killing 2,600 livestock.
Vietnam frequently faces tropical storms that bring deadly floods and landslides. Experts link the increasing severity of such disasters to climate change. Just last week, Tropical Storm Wipha killed three people and submerged nearly 4,000 homes in Nghe An province.
Recent tragedies include a tourist boat capsizing in Ha Long Bay on July 19, which killed 39 people, and Typhoon Yagi’s devastation in September 2024, resulting in 345 deaths and $3.3 billion in damages. – AFP
