Nearly 84,000 Homes Still Flooded in Northern Vietnam After Typhoon Matmo

HANOI, Oct 9:  Severe flooding triggered by Typhoon Matmo continues to wreak havoc across northern Vietnam, with nearly 84,000 homes still submerged as of Thursday morning, according to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Authorities said the situation, while improving from the over 220,000 houses affected earlier this week, remains dire in several provinces, especially Thai Nguyen, which has recorded more than 70,000 inundated homes. Other heavily affected regions include Bac Ninh (over 11,000 homes), Lang Son (around 2,500 homes), and a few dozen in Cao Bang.

Floodwaters have damaged large portions of national highways and provincial and rural roads, disrupting both land and railway transport. Train services on the Hanoi–Dong Dang line remain suspended due to severe track damage.

More than 210,000 households are still without electricity, while emergency crews work to restore power and clear debris.

According to the Department of Dike Management and Disaster Prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, water levels in several major rivers remain dangerously high. As of 5am Thursday, the Cau River, which flows through Thai Nguyen, Hanoi, and Bac Ninh, stood 0.7 to 1.8 meters above the highest alarm level, while the Thong River in Lang Son and Bac Ninh has surpassed the historic flood levels recorded in 1986.

Meanwhile, the Ca Lo River in Hanoi was 1.28 meters above the Level-3 alarm, and the Day River in Ninh Binh Province was only slightly below the danger threshold.

Hydrological forecasts indicate that most rivers will begin to recede by Friday, though the Cau River at Dap Cau Ward in Bac Ninh is expected to peak later Thursday afternoon before stabilizing.

Officials also reported that the back-to-back impacts of typhoons Bualoi and Matmo have caused 76 dike incidents across 11 provinces and cities, including Phu Tho, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Quang Tri.

To ease pressure on the river systems, 28 hydropower reservoirs in northern Vietnam are currently discharging water through spillways at rates of 100 cubic meters per second or more.

Local authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid returning to flooded homes until safety assessments are completed. Relief agencies continue to distribute food, water, and medical aid to affected families in the hardest-hit areas.

— Voice of Malaysia News