26-7-2024 (HANOI) A devastating cocktail of flash floods and landslides, unleashed by the fury of Tropical Storm Prapiroon, has claimed at least ten lives and left nine individuals unaccounted for in northern Vietnam this week. The grim toll was confirmed on Friday by the country’s disaster management agency, painting a stark picture of nature’s wrath.
Prapiroon, which made landfall in Quang Ninh province on Tuesday, has subjected much of northern Vietnam to a relentless barrage of torrential rains. Several regions have been inundated with over 300 millimetres of rainfall, transforming serene landscapes into treacherous waterlogged terrains.
The human cost of this meteorological onslaught has been severe. Son La province bore the brunt of the tragedy, reporting seven fatalities. Two more lives were lost in Dien Bien province, while the capital city of Hanoi mourned the loss of one resident.
The scale of destruction extends far beyond the loss of human life. Harrowing images circulated by state media depict entire communities in Dien Bien province submerged, with floodwaters reaching the rooftops of hundreds of houses. The region’s infrastructure has not been spared either, with roads either washed away or buried under debris.
The agricultural sector, a cornerstone of Vietnam’s economy, has suffered a significant blow. Nearly 30,000 hectares of rice paddies and cash crops now lie underwater, dealing a severe setback to local farmers. The livestock industry has also been hit hard, with reports indicating the loss of almost 20,000 farmed cattle and poultry.
