Foreign tourists trapped as flash flood sweeps northern Vietnam
A flash flood battered a province in northern Vietnam following heavy rain on Friday, killing three and leaving six others missing as well as dozens of tourists trapped in the raging currents.
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“The flood occurred at 2:00 am [on August 5] at streams in Phin Ngan Commune, reaching its peak at around 3:00 to 4:00 am,” Khoa said. “It tore down and swept away many houses in its wake, including one in Phin Ngan Commune, killing three children. Six locals are still missing.”
Meanwhile, the 4D National Route connecting Lao Cai City and Sa Pa District in the province has been cut off by the flood as many sections are submerged underwater or blocked by landslides, said Do Trong Nguyen, deputy head of the Sa Pa Division of Culture and Information.
“About 70 domestic and foreign tourists are still trapped between the 17th and 21st kilometer [of the 4D National Route]… The Sa Pa People’s Committee is trying its best to rescue these tourists,” Nguyen said.
Youths in Lao Cai City have joined rescue efforts since early Friday, while the provincial chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is mobilizing drinking water and instant noodles to supply to the affected areas, according to the union’s secretary, Giang Quoc Hung.
According to initial reports, over 50 households in Lao Cai City are deeply submerged under the floodwaters.
