Relevant forces in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue have found the body of a pregnant woman who was swept away by floodwater while she was heading to a hospital to deliver her baby on Monday.

The victim had been identified as Hoang Thi Phuong, living in Phuong Hop Village, Phong Dien District.

Accompanied by her husband, Phuong was heading on Monday to the local hospital to give birth as she found herself going into labor earlier the same day.

Traveling on a boat as rain-triggered flood had blocked all roads, Phuong was swept away by floodwater as the boat capsized.

The accident was immediately noticed by surrounding residents, but they were unable to save her due to severe flooding and lack of rescue gear.

Local authorities quickly mobilized manpower to urgently search for the missing woman, said Nguyen Van Binh, acting chairman of Phong Dien District.

However, they faced difficulties as the floodwater was swelling up rapidly.

At 11:00 am Monday, Thua Thien – Hue’s police sent four rescue boats, six divers, and several vehicles to the scene to join the search team.  

Phuong’s body was found two hours later, about 100 meters away from the accident scene.

According to the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Control, Search and Rescue of Thua Thien - Hue Province, water levels slightly receded in most rivers in the locality, while the Bo River saw its water level peak on Monday afternoon.

As of 10:00 pm on Monday, torrential rain and floods had killed 28 people, while 12 others remained missing in central provinces, the Vietnam Government Portal reported.

The catastrophe has killed three and injured seven in Thua Thien - Hue alone.

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