HCMC – China began discharging water from the Madushan Dam in the upstream of the Lo River at 4:30 p.m. today, September 11. Even though the water discharge rate is lower than earlier planned, it might aggravate flooding in northern Vietnam.
Chinese authorities said that heavy rainfall had caused water levels to swell rapidly, putting the dam at risk. They notified Vietnam’s Ha Giang Province of the water discharge in advance, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
Following discussions between the two countries, Chinese authorities reduced the discharge volume from 250 cubic meters per second to 200 cubic meters per second and delayed the release by 90 minutes.
The release was initially scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. today and continue until 2 p.m. tomorrow, September 12.
Chinese officials said that the discharge will be limited to the minimum necessary to ensure dam safety. No releases are being made from other hydropower facilities or dams in the upper reaches of the Lo River.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Vietnamese representatives in China would continue working closely with Chinese authorities to monitor the situation and ensure timely updates on any developments that may make flooding in northern Vietnam worse.
