Vietnam has sent a diplomatic note to China requesting strict regulation of water flow from the upper reaches of the Red River downstream as the Southeast Asian country continues to grapple with severe flooding and the aftermath of typhoon Yagi.

On Tuesday, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had discussed with the Chinese Embassy’s Chargé d’affaires in Hanoi collaboration on recovery efforts for typhoon Yagi and measures to prevent flooding in its wake.

Following the powerful typhoon's arrival on Saturday, several northern Vietnamese localities have experienced flooding and landslides.

Officials from the Vietnamese Embassy in China and the Consulate General in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province in China, held urgent meetings with representatives from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Yunnan Province’s Foreign Affairs Department to request support in implementing measures to reduce the risk of flooding in Vietnam’s Red River basin.

Additionally, Vietnam requested timely updates on flood discharge schedules, including specific times and volumes.

The Red River, known as the Yuan River in China, is a 1,149-kilometer-long river that flows from the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan through northern Vietnam to the Gulf of Tonkin.

Several hydroelectric dams have been constructed on the Red River in Yunnan.

As of Tuesday, China confirmed that the two upstream hydropower plants on the Red River will not release water and have no plans to do so for the time being.

These plants have also halted operations to prevent flooding and store water.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Vietnamese representatives in China will continue to work closely with local authorities to provide regular and timely updates on the flood situation in China that potentially impacts Vietnam. 

Vietnam’s diplomatic missions in China have also issued formal notes, urging China to regulate water flow from the upper reaches of the Red River and to coordinate with relevant agencies to reduce or suspend discharge from upstream dams.

China will maintain ongoing communication to encourage actions that limit water discharge from their upstream regions, thereby mitigating flood damage in northern river basins in Vietnam.

Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm in the East Vietnam Sea in 30 years, struck Vietnam on Saturday, with heavy rains continuing to devastate the northern region. 

As of noon on Tuesday, 157 people have been killed or reported missing due to the typhoon, landslides, and flooding, with numerous injuries and nearly 150,000 hectares of rice and crops affected by the floods, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

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