Landslides triggered by prolonged downpours on Friday killed six local residents, injured two and left five others missing in the mountainous province of Lai Chau in northern Vietnam.

Heavy rains that lasted for hours were reported in Lai Chau’s Phong Tho and Sin Ho Districts due to the effect of a low pressure zone over the area, according to Vu Van Luat, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Among the deceased are a woman in Mu Sang Commune and five people in Vang Ma Chai Commune, both located in Phong Tho District.

The landslides also damaged dozens of houses in the rural district while a large number of residents living along local rivers and streams have been evacuated to safety.

Local authorities have mobilized border guards, infantries and other armed forces stationed in Phong Tho District to evacuate families in landslide-prone areas.

Rescuers are racing against the clock to search for five people still missing in the landslides as well as providing  support to survivors and affected residents.

Aftermath of landslides in Lai Chau Province in northern Vietnam on August 3, 2018. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

The provincial administration the same day issued an urgent official dispatch requesting that Lai Chau’s districts and the provincial capital take measures in response to heavy rains and floods in the province.

In June, flash floods also left 16 dead in Lai Chau and caused total losses of VND314 billion (US$13.48 million) to the northern province.

The low pressure zone over northern Vietnam is forecast to continue wreaking havoc in the area until Sunday, with mountainous and midland areas told to brace for similar downpours and landslides in the days to come.

Affected provinces include Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, and Cao Bang, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.