Archived News: Binh Thuan Climate,
Flooding, Rains & Erosion
Flooding Brings Suffering to Binh Thuan Residents
23.09.06 Hundreds of households on hillsides in Tien Duc hamlet near Phan Thiet city are in danger of being destroyed by landslides. The hills have been denuded of trees and intense erosion from rains this week could carry them away. Eighteen houses have already been destroyed and the rain continues to pour. Sewage networks have been clogged and soil has been carried into houses and gardens.
Residents of Tanh Linh and Duc Linh districts in Binh Thuan province are facing a drinking water shortage because nearly 2,000 wells are polluted.
Nearly 200 people have been marooned by flood waters while crops and wells have been badly damaged. The people of Me Pu commune in Duc Linh district have been trapped in their village with the only road washed out by floods.
In nearby Sung Nhon commune, 147 hectares of rice fields are submerged under more than a meter of floodwaters.
A week ago five people died and hundreds of houses were damaged after heavy rains and lightning struck the province. Total damage has been estimated at VND300 million (US$18,800).
Binh Thuan is a desert area, and the driest region in SE Asia. The province is prone to flash flooding and heavy erosion during rainy season due to the sand soils, clear cutting and unplanned development in coastal areas and hillsides.
Floods Claim 5 Lives in Binh Thuan
15.09.06 Five local residents have died and hundreds of houses have been damaged after heavy rains and lightning struck the province this week. 221 houses have been flooded with foundations that have eroded away in the rushing waters. A fishing boat was also destroyed and three electrical poles uprooted. The total damages are estimated around VND300 million (US$18,800). The area is prone to flash flooding due to sudden heavy rains in rainy season. Stream beds that are normally empty during periods of intense drought in dry season suddenly swell with water. The loose sandy soil in the area gives way easily in what can be devastating erosion, often resulting in loss of homes and even lives.
Floods Kill 5 in Northern Binh Thuan
16.08.06 Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed as many as five people in Binh Thuan Province since the weekend. A woman, her daughter and a neighbor drowned on Monday after their small boat capsized on the La Nga river, North of Phan Thiet. A boy drowned while fishing on Monday, and a teenager was also reported killed while fishing on Tuesday.
The floods have inundated more than 800 homes and forced nearly 400 people to evacuate to higher grounds. The floods have also inundated nearly 10,000 hectares of rice.
Flood Warnings for Binh Thuan Province
14.08.06 The water level of rivers in southern Binh Thuan province are expected to reach level 3 late Monday, central weather bureau officials warned. Emergency level 3 is the highest state of alert for flooding in the country. Several provinces in Southern Vietnam are under similar warnings due to heavy rains. People living in flood-prone areas are advised to take necessary precautions against possible flash floods and landslides.
With 3 sizable rivers running through the city, including the Ca Ty River downtown, and Binh Loi and the Cai Rivers in the Phu Hai neighborhood (below the Cham towers), Phan Thiet is particularly at risk for flooding. Mui Ne has 1 major stream and can be susceptible to strong erosion with extended downpours and rough seas. Visitors and residents should check local forecasts to make plans and take proper precautions.
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