Floods kill thirty-six people in Vietnam

(MENAFN) The death toll from severe flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 36, with at least four people still unaccounted for, according to reports.

Since October 23, heavy downpours caused by a combination of a cold front and a tropical convergence zone have relentlessly pounded the region. Rescue teams, including local authorities and military personnel, have been deployed, but persistent rain has severely hindered relief efforts.

The floods have submerged or destroyed over 120,000 homes, wiped out nearly 5,000 hectares of crops, damaged 790 hectares of fruit trees, and killed more than 17,700 livestock. Landslides and flooding have blocked 11 national highways, further complicating access to affected areas.

Danang has been particularly devastated, with seven fatalities, four missing individuals, and 21 injured. The city has seen more than 76,000 homes inundated and approximately 63,000 cubic meters of landslide debris scattered across its terrain. Nearly two kilometers of roadways—including national, provincial, and rural routes—have been damaged or eroded.

Lam Dong province in the central highlands has experienced the worst agricultural losses, with roughly 3,900 hectares of crops destroyed. Thousands of livestock and poultry have drowned, and hundreds of hectares of rice fields, vegetables, and aquaculture farms have been wiped out.

Hue city recorded the heaviest rainfall in the region, leaving over 44,000 homes underwater and causing major agricultural losses. The city is now in the early stages of recovery and has reopened the historic citadel to tourists.

In Quang Ngai province, more than 200 landslides dumped an estimated 60,000 cubic meters of soil and rock onto roads, interrupting passenger train services and leaving hundreds of residents without electricity.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued warnings that heavy rain will persist from November 1 to November 4 due to cold air masses and easterly wind disturbances. Total rainfall is expected to range between 200 and 300 millimeters, with some areas receiving more than 600 millimeters.

Major rivers, including the Huong, Bo, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, and Tra Khuc, have reached peak levels in Hue, Danang, and Quang Ngai, but water levels are now gradually declining.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed local leaders to continue search and rescue efforts, ensure free medical care for those injured, and deliver food, water, medicines, and other vital supplies to isolated communities.

Vietnam is located in one of the most active tropical cyclone zones in the world, making it prone to heavy rainfall, particularly from June through September.

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