Heavy rain, thunderstorms cause severe damage in northern areas

HÀ NỘI — Significant damage was reported in the northern mountainous provinces of Cao Bằng, Bắc Kạn and Lào Cai following heavy rain and thunderstorms from Wednesday evening until Thursday morning. In Cao Bằng, the roofs were blown off of approximately 800 houses and several public structures including schools, local cultural houses and storage rooms. More than 240 houses in Bắc Kạn Province also lost their roofs, while 71.8 hectares of corn crops were destroyed. Around 113 houses in Lào Cai Province suffered from damage of between 30 to 70 per cent, according to local authorities. Local authorities have set up response teams around the clock and guide people to reinforce their homes to minimise the damage caused by heavy rain and storms.