Lạng Sơn speaks out as Thất Khê floods for a third straight year, calls for root-level flood defenses

Some parts of Lạng Sơn saw more than 300 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, while water rose almost to the second floors of homes and schools. In Thất Khê, residents have endured serious flooding for three consecutive years and are seeking a long-term answer.

Đinh Thị Thu, deputy director of Lạng Sơn’s Department of Agriculture and Environment, said recent weather and disasters have become more complex and difficult to forecast. Rainfall of 100 to 200 millimeters can arrive within only a few hours. Heavy rain in June 2026 and Typhoon No. 4, Narra, in August produced totals above 300 millimeters in 24 hours in some locations.

Water rushed down from streams and upstream areas, pushing up levels in the Kỳ Cùng and Trung rivers and flooding Đông Kinh, Kỳ Lừa, Lộc Bình, Thất Khê and Tràng Định. The flooding damaged property and disrupted residents’ lives, production and businesses. One resident of Thất Khê, Đàm Vân Anh, had goods damaged after borrowing 100 million dong from a bank to stock her business.

The department is coordinating measures with the provincial government that focus on prevention, resilience and risk reduction rather than repairing damage after each flood. In 2026, it is developing a downstream flood map and rules for coordinating the operation of Bản Lải reservoir with other reservoirs in the lower Kỳ Cùng basin. The province also plans to review high-risk areas, improve forecasts and warnings, finalize evacuation plans and strengthen drainage and flood-control capacity.

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Weather and disasters in Lạng Sơn are becoming increasingly complex and difficult to predict.