Twenty-six people have now been confirmed dead and another fifteen are missing in flooding in Son La, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Cao Bang and Lai Chau provinces in northern Vietnam following heavy rainfall in the area this week. The flooding has washed away hundreds of homes and many roads as well as triggering a number of landslides. Landslides are are a common problem after severe weather events,
as excess pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and
sediments, allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all
landslides are caused by heavy rainfall.
A bridge washed away by flooding in Mu Cang Chai District, in northern Yen Bai Province, Vietnam on 4 August 2917. VNA/Reuters.
The flooding comes after exceptionally heavy rains that began on Thursday 3 August, with almost 500 mm of rain recorded in four days in some areas. Northern Vietnam has a subtropical climate, with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season peaks in August and July, with both months typically receiving about 300 mm of rain, out of an average yearly total of about 1500 mm.
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