Record rainfall over 50 years, coupled with landslides that blocked waterways, has submerged Quang Ninh, with some areas reaching depths of nearly 2 meters.
Understanding the Causes of the Historic Flood in Quang Ninh
On the afternoon of July 29, at the Central Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center, meteorological and geological experts discussed with the press various details regarding the historic flood in Quang Ninh Province.
Video: Boats navigating flooded streets in Quang Ninh
Dr. Hoang Duc Cuong, Director of the Central Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center, reported that from July 26 to 28, Quang Ninh experienced extreme rainfall. The total rainfall measured in some areas reached nearly 1,000 mm over three days.
The primary cause of this phenomenon was due to a low-pressure system that created strong convection currents in the region. The low-pressure area was located entirely within the Gulf of Tonkin, directly affecting the coastal areas of Quang Ninh. “This is the largest rainfall event in Quang Ninh in the past 40-50 years,” said Dr. Cuong.
The water level of Lo Phong stream in Ha Phong Ward (Ha Long City) rose, submerging many residential areas. Firefighters were mobilized to assist residents. (Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.)
Dr. Cuong noted that the center had continuously issued warnings about the flood starting July 23. However, the heavy rainfall from late afternoon to midnight limited the dissemination of information to disaster response units.
Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geological Sciences, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that although Quang Ninh is not a province with a high risk of landslides like mountainous areas, the historical rainfall has saturated the soil and rocks, causing landslides.
“The thin layer of vegetation and weak ground make hillside slopes vulnerable under such prolonged heavy rainfall,” Dr. Hung explained.
Dr. Hung highlighted that high-risk landslide areas include Ha Long and Cam Pha, where many residential areas are located on hill slopes. “All hilly regions of Quang Ninh are under warning for danger,” he cautioned.
Regarding the risk of landslides in Quang Ninh, Dr. Bui Minh Tang, former Director of the Central Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center, noted that rainfall over the three days reached between 500 to 800 mm, with some areas nearing 1,000 mm, surpassing all previous monitoring records for Quang Ninh.
According to Dr. Tang, the topography of Quang Ninh is quite complex, particularly with large waste piles from coal mines resembling artificial hills. The cohesion at these waste piles is very weak, making landslides inevitable during heavy rains.
“Landslides at waste piles cause a mixture of mud and sand that blocks drainage systems and rivers, restricting the flow into the sea. Therefore, flooding in Quang Ninh has been severe,” Dr. Tang noted.
Dr. Tang assessed that the intensity of rainfall in Quang Ninh at the end of July was even greater than the historic rainfall event in Hanoi in November 2008.
Dr. Le Thanh Hai, Deputy General Director of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Forecasting Center, stated that 2015 has seen many extreme weather patterns. (Photo: Cong Khanh.)
Dr. Le Thanh Hai observed that in 2015, Vietnam experienced many types of extreme weather. This included a very hot summer with unusual cold in Sapa, a historic thunderstorm in Hanoi, record drought in the South Central Coast, and now heavy rains in Quang Ninh.
“It is very likely that we will face other extreme weather phenomena in the future,” Dr. Hai warned.
The Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee reported that after three days of heavy rain and floods (from July 26 to 28), the locality suffered property damage exceeding 1 trillion VND, with 23 people dead or missing.
