5 communes in north-central Vietnam remain isolated after floods triggered by storm Wipha

Flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains in the wake of storm Wipha have left five communes in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam completely isolated as of Thursday afternoon, with tens of thousands of residents still trapped.

According to a report by the provincial steering committee for natural disaster prevention and control, rainfall in the region from Monday to Tuesday this week ranged from 100 to 200mm, with some areas exceeding 250mm.

Combined with high upstream water discharge, the downpours caused widespread flooding and road damage, severely impacting mountainous communities.

By 10:00 am on Thursday, 30 communes across the province had been either fully or partially cut off, trapping nearly 22,400 households and over 102,000 people.

Among them, six communes were entirely isolated, including Huu Kiem, Na Ngoi, My Ly, Bac Ly in former Ky Son District, and Nhon Mai in former Tuong Duong District.

By the afternoon, one commune had regained partial access, reducing the number of fully isolated communes to five.

So far, the floods have left three people dead, one missing, and four injured.

Water levels have begun to recede in some areas such as Con Cuong, Anh Son, Tuong Duong, and Muong Xen Communes, especially after Ban Ve Hydropower Plant reduced its discharge rate.

Authorities have issued multiple emergency directives since before the storm’s arrival, deploying provincial leaders to oversee on-site response measures and ensure the safety of residents and property.

The provincial People’s Committee has ordered commune-level administrations to mobilize recovery efforts, help residents clean homes, repair damaged public buildings, and restore daily life and agricultural production as quickly as possible.

Storm Wipha, the third to hit Vietnam this year, weakened into a tropical depression over northern Ninh Binh Province and north-central Thanh Hoa Province late on Tuesday afternoon, after making landfall in the northern region earlier that day.

Besides Nghe An, the storm flooded about 107,000 hectares of rice crops across northern Vietnam.

Local carriers canceled and rescheduled dozens of flights, while some airport, port, and train services were suspended due to the storm.

By Minh Duy & Doan Hoa – Tuoi Tre News – July 25, 2025