At least 23 people have been killed and 11 are still missing after severe storms hit Vietnam's northern mountainous provinces. The worst affected are Hà Giang, Lai Châu, Lào Cai and Điện Biên. Authorities said that water level in upper reaches of rivers had reached record levels during the past 20 years.

Heavy rain started falling throughout the region on Saturday, June 23, killing 5 people and leaving 12 missing in the province of Lai Châu. Floods and landslides swept away or damaged hundreds of homes, the country's Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention said, adding that some sections of national and provincial roads were damaged, causing serious traffic jams.

Multiple landslides were triggered, some of which were captured on video:

According to the latest report of the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, flash floods across the affected provinces have killed 23 people and left 11 missing.

Torrential rains and floods have also swept away 161 houses, damaged 958 and submerged thousands of hectares of crops. More than 195 cattle and 5 900 poultry were killed while nearly 1 500 homes are still submerged under water.

All of Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Lai Châu and Hội Quảng-Bản Chát hydroelectric plants are operating stably, safely and are ready for the flood season this year, experts said, as reported by Vietnam News.

The statement was made at a conference of the science and technology consultancy committee about hydroelectricity safety held on Tuesday, June 26 in Hà Nội.

Minister Anh confirmed that although the water level in upper reaches of rivers had reached record levels during the past 20 years, the hydroelectric plants worked safely.

Natural disasters during the first 5 months of this year killed 13 people and injured 21 across the country. Nearly 11 000 homes were destroyed or damaged as well as 6 100 ha (15 073 acres) of rice and other crops, leaving property losses of nearly 24 million US dollars. In addition, 8 200 cattle and 3 500 poultry were killed, according to Vietnam's General Statistics Office.

Featured image credit: Hoang Anh Tuan