Typhoon Narra wreaks havoc in China, Vietnam as rains lead to floods

Floods and landslides triggered by Typhoon Narra battered northern Vietnam and China’s southern Guangxi region, with heavy rains damaging infrastructure and crops.

Rising floodwaters prompted China to relocate about 54,000 people, including 8,087 to emergency shelters, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

In northern Vietnam, days of heavy rain brought by Narra killed one person and displaced more than 4,300 households.

Narra lingered over the Beibu Gulf, also known as the Gulf of Tonkin, but weather officials said it would not make landfall and would instead bring heavy rain to northern Vietnam.

The mountainous provinces of Lang Son and Cao Bang received between 236 mm (9 inches) and 300 mm (12 inches) of rain in the 24 hours to Monday morning, triggering floods and landslides.

Flooding also affected Quang Ninh province, home to the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay, inundating parts of the city and disrupting tourism, fishing and transport.

The typhoon disrupted daily school and office activities and cut power to nearly 55,000 families, authorities said. More than 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) of rice and other crops were also destroyed.

In China, water levels in 15 rivers rose above warning levels at monitoring stations. CCTV footage showed brown floodwaters engulfing parts of Chongzuo city, submerging roads and low-rise buildings.

Chinese rescuers in rubber boots waded through knee-deep water, while some used boats to evacuate stranded residents.

Heavy rain is forecast for Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan and Fujian, with downpours expected to continue through Wednesday, CCTV said.