The death toll caused by severe floods in the northern Vietnamese provinces of Lai Chau and Ha Giang jumped from five to 14 overnight, while traffic on multiple major routes across the localities is still paralyzed due to landslides.

In Lai Chau, 11 people have been killed, 11 missing, and seven others injured as of Tuesday morning, after heavy downpours started hitting the region on Saturday night, bringing about serious floods and mudslides.

Three others victims have died in Ha Giang Province.

An excavator removes mud and rocks from a road in Lai Chau. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Damage worth more than VND80 billion (US$3.52 million) has been recorded in Lai Chau, while financial losses worth tens of billions of dong has also been estimated in Ha Giang.

A section of National Highway 4D connecting Lai Chau and neighboring Lao Cai Province was still blocked by rockslides as of Monday night, according to Le Trong Quang, vice-chairman of the Lai Chau People’s Committee.

A mudslide in Lai Chau Province. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The National Highway 32 linking the locality with Yen Bai Province was partially cleared on the evening of the same day, Quang said, adding that big trucks were still unable to travel on the road.

Lai Chau City, capital of the namesake province, is isolated as all routes leading to the locality are blocked, the official continued.

Authorities deal with landslides along National Highway 4C connecting Lai Chau and Lao Cai Provinces. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Meanwhile, thousands of cubic meters of rock and mud have buried multiple streets in many districts across Ha Giang, resulting in hours-long congestion.

Competent authorities are exerting their best efforts to look for the missing victims, assist affected residents, and clear local roads.

Heavy rain in mountainous provinces of northern Vietnam is expected to linger until the end of Wednesday, before hot weather is brought to the region, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting reported.

Congestion occurs as a major route in Ha Giang Province is affected by mudslides on June 25, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A truck is unable to travel on a street in Ha Giang. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Travelers wait for the road to be cleared in Ha Giang Province. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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