In wake of a massive volume of downpours ceaselessly battering Da Nang and elsewhere in Central Viet Nam over recent days, the water levels on Vu Gia and Tuy Loan rivers which flows through Hoa Vang District has continued their upward trend, posing a severer flooding threat to downstream and low-lying areas across Da Nang.

The Song Bung 4 hydropower reservoir on the upstream of the Vu Gia River has started releasing floodwaters from its spillways since 6.00am today, 10 October.

A fresh prediction by the Mid-Central Region Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting show that the total rainfalls in the suburban Hoa Vang and Cam Le districts are likely to reach 150-300mm today (10 October).

Some low-lying areas along rivers have been flooded due to heavy rains and rising water levels on rivers.

Likewise, the total amount of rain that pours down onto the districts of Son Tra, Lien Chieu, Thanh Khe, Hai Chau and Ngu Hanh Son will stand at 120-250mm, even above 300mm possible in some places.

In particular, the Song Bung 4 hydropower reservoir on the upstream of the Vu Gia River has started releasing floodwaters from its spillways since 6.00am today with a total amount of 160 - 1.360m3 of water.

Due to the current excess of over 2.24m in the water level limit, the reservoir urgently needs to be discharged to balance outflow and inflow to prevent the water level from continuing to mount, a common practice in rain seasons, the reservoir’s operators explained.

A section of DH.8 road heavily damaged by flooding

On Friday, Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang, accompanied by municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh, conducted an inspection visit to hardest-hit Hoa Vang District to instruct rapid response to flooding.

Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (5th from right), accompanied by municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh (6th from right), instructing rapid response to flooding in Trung Son Village, Hoa Lien Commune, Hoa Vang District

As water levels in rivers remained high, Da Nang leaders urged the district authorities to race against time with all-out efforts to cope with inundation, flashfloods, and mudslides.

A must-do must be practiced to keep a closer eye on the situation around flood and downpours to have timely emergency assistance for the safety of local residents and minimise the loss to the lowest.

Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (right) visiting Tay An Village, Hoa Chau Commune

All pupils from primary to high schools across Da Nang have been allowed to make school comebacks on 12 October, following the fresh instructions by the municipal Department of Education and Training.

The irritatingly soaking weather is predicted to batter Da Nang and other localities from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai, complicatedly and potentially prolonging over the weekend and the next week.

By HOANG HIEP - Translated by A.T