People in the central and Central Highlands region of Vietnam have been facing with the serious environmental pollution and disease outbreak after the recent flooding caused by the tropical storm No.8.

Health workers sterilising the flood-hit region

Over the past days, dozens of tonnes of rubbish have piled up on the beaches of Danang, turning the 10-km sand beach from Hoang Sa-Truong Sa route to the area bordering Quang Nam Province into what looks like a waste dump.  Meanwhile, other local beaches of Nam O, Xuan Thieu and Thanh Binh are also full of litter.

Nguyen Khac Xuyen, Party Secretary of Dai Hung Commune, Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, said local households are worried about the polluted water.

Many communes in the two districts of Ea Sup and Ea H’Leo districts in Dak Lak Province are in the same situation. Due to a limited capacity, only drinking water is treated, while, residents have to take water from polluted wells for bathing and other activities.

According to Doctor Le Thi Chau, Director of Ea Sup District’s Health Department, the district has 809 wells affected by the flooding and needed to be sterilised. In Ea H’Leo District, 650 wells are flooded, causing around 3,640 people to be in short of water.

In Quang Binh Province’s Minh Hoa District has seen a widespread epidemic of eye infections, particularly in Thuong Hoa Commune where up to 200 people have become the disease victim, mostly students.

Some other localities in the central and Central Highlands region has also seen the rise of infections, such as those of the eye and acute diarrhea.