One day after the flash flood in Muong Than commune, the rain had subsided this morning, but the race to rescue people continued. Rescue forces continued to brave swift currents to save 4 trapped residents. Simultaneously, hundreds of military officers, soldiers, police, militia, and local people remained at the scene, searching for 4 missing victims, clearing roads, and assisting households unable to return home.

Police safely evacuate 4 trapped people in Muong Than commune. *Photo: Lai Chau Provincial Police*.

The flood on the morning of 17/7 occurred after several days of continuous rain. Water from upstream streams rose, carrying soil, rocks, and trees into Chit, Doi 9, Doi 11, Sap Ngua villages, and other residential areas of Muong Than commune. Within a short time, the floodwaters swept through homes and fields, leaving many families just enough time to move the elderly and children to higher ground before the water surged in. When the water receded, many houses were left with only their foundations. Mud covered belongings, and trees lay scattered across the villages. Many roads were blocked by debris, isolating residential areas.

The human toll and property damage were severe. "My family only managed to escape; all our possessions were swept away by the water," said Lo Van Quyen, a resident of Doi 11 village, upon returning to his flattened home. Authorities determined that the flash flood in Muong Than destroyed 14 houses, damaged 15 others, and many households could not return due to the very high risk of landslides. The disaster resulted in 3 deaths and 4 people missing.

Police approach houses destroyed by the flash flood. *Photo: Lai Chau Provincial Police*.

Beyond Muong Than, heavy rains and floods also caused damage in many other communes across Lai Chau province. Dozens of houses in Than Uyen, Pa U, Nam Cuoi, Pac Ta, and Le Loi communes suffered landslides, inundation, or required urgent evacuation. Upstream water flooded down precisely when the main rice crop was developing, burying hundreds of hectares of fields, crops, and aquaculture ponds. Muong Than commune alone saw approximately 300 hectares of production affected; in Than Uyen, the area of waterlogged and landslide-affected rice fields was 82 hectares. Many fish ponds broke their banks, and livestock and poultry were swept away, but a full assessment is not yet available.

Rescue efforts also faced significant challenges as numerous transportation routes were cut off. National Highways 12, 32, 279, along with several provincial roads, experienced landslides at dozens of locations. Notably, a 30 m section of roadbed at Km76+250 on National Highway 12, passing through Le Loi commune, was washed away. Many inter-village roads in Muong Than remained buried under debris, and approximately 30 utility poles were toppled, hindering access to the scene and the restoration of electricity and communication. Immediately after the disaster, Lai Chau province mobilized forces according to the "4 on-site" principle, simultaneously deploying military, police, militia, and local forces to participate in rescue operations. Over the past two days, approximately 800 personnel and 50 vehicles and machines were mobilized to search for victims, evacuate residents, clear debris, and open roads for rescue efforts.

Clearing mud after the flood in Muong Than commune. *Photo: Muong Than Commune People's Committee*.

The Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee estimated the initial total damage from the floods at 190 billion VND, with Muong Than commune alone accounting for approximately 120 billion VND. This figure is expected to rise as localities continue to assess and reach isolated areas. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting assessed that rainfall in the Northwest had decreased compared to the peak on 17/7 and was no longer concentrated in the area recently affected by severe flash floods. However, this is only a brief lull in the rain. From the night of 18/7 until the end of 19/7, the mountainous and midland regions of Northern Vietnam are forecast to experience moderate to heavy rain, with common rainfall amounts of 50-100 mm, and locally over 250 mm. With many mountainsides saturated after consecutive days of rain, the risk of flash floods and landslides remains high, especially in areas recently impacted by the disaster.

Gia Chinh