Central Vietnam is reeling under one of its heaviest bouts of flooding in decades, as relentless rains have killed at least 41 people since the weekend, with authorities still searching for nine missing residents.
More than 52,000 homes have been submerged, and half a million households and businesses are without electricity as floodwaters continue to spread across multiple provinces. In some areas, rainfall surpassed 1.5 meters over just three days—exceeding even the devastating 1993 flood peak of 5.2 meters.
The extreme weather comes on the heels of a turbulent season for Vietnam, which has been battered by two typhoons, Kalmaegi and Bualoi, in recent months. Combined natural disasters between January and October have already inflicted an estimated $2 billion in damage, according to government figures.
The latest floods have hit coastal cities such as Hoi An and Nha Trang especially hard, while the central highlands, Vietnam’s key coffee-growing region, faces further setbacks as farmers grapple with a disrupted harvest caused by earlier storms.
Images shared by local media show residents stranded on rooftops as waters rise into their homes. One widely circulated video captures the dramatic moment a suspension bridge in Lam Dong province was ripped from its anchors by the surging floodwaters.
Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities brace for more rain in the coming days.
