Flooding in north Vietnam

Storms have caused severe flooding in northern Vietnam, prompting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to warn against all travel to the affected regions.

The Lao Cai and Yen Dai provinces, bordering China, have experienced the worst flooding and the FCO advises travellers already there to remain in their hotels until local authorities say it is safe to travel.

Local media reports that over 100 people have been killed as flash floods and landslides were caused by tropical storm Kammuri over the weekend and more rain is forecast for the next few days.

The railway connecting Hanoi and the northern region is currently out of action, according to the FCO.

The media has reported that a number of travellers were stranded on their way to the popular tourist hill-resort of Sapa.

The FCO advises tourists to talk to their hotels and travel companies to make travel arrangements as parts of the main road are still inaccessible, although apparently a (fully booked) test train is travelling from Sapa to Hanoi.

Further flooding is predicted as a low pressure front moves over the area, river levels rise and heavy rain is forecast for the northeast today.