Authorities in Dak Lak province have issued a serious public safety warning after floodwaters swept away approximately 100 drums of concentrated sulfuric acid from Tuy Hoa Sugar Factory. Each 20-liter drum, colored blue or gray, contains H₂SO₄, a highly corrosive industrial chemical.
Sulfuric acid poses extreme risks. Contact with skin can cause severe chemical burns, eye exposure may result in permanent blindness, and inhalation of fumes can damage the respiratory system. Mixing the acid with water generates intense heat and can cause splattering, while ingestion can destroy the digestive tract and be fatal.
Police are urging residents to avoid handling the drums, not to attempt opening them, and to immediately report any sightings so authorities can safely collect and dispose of the chemicals.
The warning comes amid severe flooding along the Ba River, where water levels recently surpassed alert level 3 and neared the historical 1993 peak. More than 8,500 homes were submerged, forcing residents to climb onto rooftops for rescue. The province has declared very high-risk alerts for flash floods and landslides in over 22 communes. As of November 20, floods have claimed 11 lives and left four people missing.
Local authorities, including police, military, and volunteer forces, are mobilized to evacuate residents, secure isolated areas, and respond to chemical hazards. The combination of extreme flooding and hazardous materials underscores the urgent challenges facing central Vietnam as it contends with climate-driven disasters.
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Source: Vietnam Insider