Flooding on Quang Ninh-Chinese Border Kills 1, Destroys Cargo Boats

Following heavy rains across northern Vietnam and unannounced discharged waters from a Chinese dam, Mong Cai Town in Quang Ninh Province has suffered from damaging floods.

According to VnExpress, floods swept across the banks of the Ka Long River on Sunday, wreaking havoc on cargo boats, submerging streets and killing one man. Tran Viet, 21, was crossing the river on his boat when the floodwaters hit the town.

An official in Mong Cai, quoted in Tuoi Tre, claimed the unexpected discharge from China was a likely cause of the flooding.

Normally, Chinese authorities inform Quang Ninh prior to discharging water into the Ka Long River, but it is possible that the heavy rains over the weekend quickly flooded the upper section of the river and did not give them enough time to make an announcement, he told the news source.

In the downtown area, hundreds of houses were hit by flooding of up to 50 centimeters, causing a logistical nightmare for local people.

This marks the beginning of northern Vietnam’s rainy season, which brings flooding and landslides each year. One of the worst floods last summer left 14 dead in Lai Chau and Ha Giang provinces.

[Photo via baolaichau]

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