At least ten deaths from Tropical Storm Prapiroon in Vietnam
During heavy flooding and landslides caused by Tropical Storm "Prapiroon" in the northern part of Vietnam, at least ten people have reportedly died according to the authorities this week. Nine people are still missing, as the disaster response agency announced on Friday. The storm hit Vietnam on land on Tuesday and caused heavy rainfall in the past few days.
According to the agency, some areas recorded more than 300 liters of rain per square meter. Seven deaths were reported in the province of Son La, two in the province of Dien Bien, and one in the capital city Hanoi. In Dien Bien, floodwaters reached the rooftops of hundreds of houses, as images in state media showed. Roads in the region were either washed away by the water masses or buried by landslides.
Agriculture was also heavily affected, with nearly 30,000 hectares of rice and other agricultural fields reportedly flooded. Livestock farms lost almost 20,000 animals. The rainfall has since subsided, and a new heatwave is forecasted for the coming days.
People in the affected areas have been seen carrying their belongings in bags to higher ground due to the floods. Despite the storm's passing, the anticipation of a Tropical Storm in Vietnam next week has caused some residents to stock up on essentials, including bags. Prapiroon, the name of the current tropical storm, serves as a reminder of the destructive power of such weather events, leading many people to be extra cautious.
