VI
EN
Thai Nguyen is currently battling a historic flood on the Cau River, surpassing all previous records and leaving thousands of residents struggling through sleepless nights, desperately seeking help.
The combined influence of Typhoon Matmo's circulation and upper-level wind convergence unleashed a torrential downpour on Thai Nguyen province from the evening of October 6th, causing severe flooding, isolating over 5,400 homes, and paralyzing much of the city center. Many locals consider this event the worst flood in the past 60 years.
According to assessments by relevant departments in Thai Nguyen province, this is a case of "natural disaster upon natural disaster." The remnants of Typhoon No. 11 have caused unprecedented impacts in this locality.
From 7 PM on October 6th to 4 PM on October 7th, the meteorological agency recorded rainfall in Thai Nguyen generally ranging from 200-400 mm, with some areas exceeding 500 mm, such as Hoa Thuong station (564 mm) and Gia Bay station (541 mm). This extremely heavy rainfall caused the water level of the Cau River to rise rapidly, exceeding all forecasts.
Due to the influence of the circulation of Typhoon No. 11 (international name Matmo), from the night of October 6th to October 7th, Thai Nguyen province experienced widespread heavy rainfall, with precipitation generally ranging from 250–400mm, and exceeding 500mm in many areas.
At the Gia Bay Hydrological Station (Gia Sang Ward), at 4 PM on October 7th, the water level of the Cau River reached 29.26 m, exceeding the third warning level by 2.26 m and surpassing the historical flood peak (established after Typhoon Yagi in 2024) by approximately 0.45 m. The situation continued to worsen during the night. By 7:30 PM on October 7th, the water level had reached 29.57 m, officially exceeding last year's historical flood peak by approximately 0.76 m. At its peak, from 2-3 AM on October 8th, the water level of the Cau River at the Gia Bay station remained at an extremely dangerous warning level, reaching 29.89 – 29.90 m.
The Thai Nguyen Meteorological and Hydrological Station has issued a warning about the risk of a historic flood on the Cau River, putting 21 out of 92 communes and wards in the province at risk of widespread flooding. In particular, riverside areas such as Gia Sang and Phan Dinh Phung wards in the center of Thai Nguyen City, along with areas like La Hien and Dan Tien (Vo Nhai commune), have been surrounded by floodwaters, with some areas submerged up to 4 meters deep.
Amidst rising floodwaters that spiraled out of control, the center of Thai Nguyen lost power and was plunged into complete darkness. After nearly a day of isolation and cut off from communication, residents in the flooded areas had to battle through the night to stay safe. Many families had to close their roller doors to prevent water from entering their homes and moved all their belongings to the second floor or climbed onto the roof to escape the raging currents.
During the night, people in the isolated area had to light flares to signal for help.
According to preliminary statistics as of 5:00 AM on October 8th, Thai Nguyen province recorded 4 deaths, 2 missing persons, and 2 injured. Throughout the province, 5,450 houses were affected, including 22 houses with damaged roofs, 359 houses affected by landslides, and 70 houses requiring urgent relocation; 5,096 houses were flooded or isolated, of which 490 were evacuated in time.
In the middle of the night on October 7th, a terrifying and moving image was captured: a long streak of light, believed to be an SOS flare, rose from an isolated area. This action was not only a warning but also a desperate cry for help from residents enduring the raging floodwaters all night, after having to share their coordinates on social media to request assistance. Despite the cold, rainless night, anxiety remained as floodwaters from upstream continued to pour in. Immediately, an emergency rescue operation was activated by the authorities in Thai Nguyen. Military Region 1, the Provincial Military Command, and the Thai Nguyen Provincial Police mobilized thousands of officers, soldiers, militia members, and youth to participate in the rescue effort.
Heavy rains and floods caused landslides and inundation on many roads, cutting off and isolating many localities such as Vo Nhai, Trang Xa, Dan Tien, Nam Hoa, Hop Tien, Linh Son, Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Trieu, Van Lang… Rescue forces have urgently reached and brought people from deeply flooded areas to safety.
Authorities used rescue boats to reach deeply flooded residential areas, focusing on assisting with the evacuation of residents and moving property from dangerous zones. The rescue team's tireless efforts throughout the night helped many families escape danger. However, traffic in the city center was completely paralyzed as many roads were submerged in nearly a meter of floodwater, and at intersections and bridge areas, the strong currents posed significant risks.
By noon on October 8th, floodwaters from the Cau River continued to inundate residential areas in Gia Sang and Phan Dinh Phung wards. Residents had to use every means possible, from trucks to boats, to navigate the streets, evacuate belongings, or wade through the floodwaters to find clean water. With the devastation caused by this flood, which is recorded as exceeding the historical peak flood level after Typhoon Yagi in 2024, the recovery efforts and stabilization of people's lives in Thai Nguyen are predicted to be prolonged and fraught with difficulties.
