6,000 evacuated in central Vietnam province over rising floods

Thanh Hoa City authorities issued evacuation orders on Monday for residents in flood-prone wards such as Thieu Duong, Nam Ngan, Dong Hai and Hoang Quang, advising them to move children and the elderly to safer areas. Hundreds of families in low-lying regions found themselves trapped by floodwaters, with streets submerged under as much as 2 meters of water.

In Thieu Duong Ward, entire neighborhoods were inundated. Duong Thi Hanh, a resident, said her family had been evacuating belongings to the second floor of their house since Sunday night.

“Water levels in the river rose by 10-15 cm every 30 minutes. By this morning, my house was flooded by nearly a meter,” Hanh said, adding that she had to take time off work to handle the situation.

Authorities have cordoned off roads leading into villages near the Ma River’s banks, preventing travel through flooded areas. Only households with boats were allowed to navigate the waters to evacuate people and their possessions.

Pham Thanh Tam, head of the Thanh Hoa City People’s Committee office, said most residents relocated themselves to higher ground, while the elderly and those in remote areas were moved to cultural centers and schools.

In addition to Thanh Hoa City, torrential rains over the past three days have flooded thousands of homes in mountainous border districts such as Muong Lat, Quan Son and Thuong Xuan. Local authorities began evacuations on Sunday night, with over 6,000 people from 2,000 families in high-risk areas moved to safety by midday Monday.

Several roads, including sections of National Highway 5C, were impacted by erosion, isolating some areas. Power outages have affected large portions of flooded regions. Some districts closed schools on Monday, with several facilities suffering damage due to landslides and flooding.

The floods have also proved deadly. At 6 a.m. on Monday, a man in Nhu Xuan District died after being swept away by floodwaters while transporting relatives on his motorbike.

Authorities continue to warn residents in downstream areas to stay vigilant, monitor flood conditions, and prepare for further evacuations if necessary.