Record rains in Vietnam kill 9, flood 100,000 homes
What's the story
Floods caused by record torrential rains have killed at least nine people and left five missing in central Vietnam. The government confirmed that six of the deaths occurred in Danang and Hoi An, two popular tourist destinations. The floods have also affected over 103,000 homes in Hue, a former imperial capital, and the ancient town of Hoi An. The disaster agency said rainfall in the area hit a record high in the 24-hour period ending late Monday, exceeding 1,000 millimeters.
Inundation extent
Flash floods, landslides feared
In Hue, floodwaters have reached depths of 1-2 meters in 32 out of 40 communes, according to Reuters. Danang's reservoirs are at full capacity, and river levels continue to rise. "Widespread flooding continues in low-lying areas along rivers and in urban areas, with high risks of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas of Danang," the government said.
Infrastructure damage
Transport and power supply disrupted
Due to the rains, landslides have also occurred in several areas, blocking roads and bringing down power grids, disrupting transport and electricity supply. The state-run railway firm has suspended services between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City due to the disaster. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue for two more days, with some areas receiving over 400mm of rain during this period.
Climate
Natural disasters more frequent
Scientists say human-driven climate change is making extreme weather events like storms and floods more deadly and destructive. In the first nine months of this year, 187 people were killed or missing in Vietnam due to natural catastrophes, primarily storms, floods, and landslides. The General Statistics Office also reported that more than 240,000 hectares of crops were destroyed, and 38,000 houses collapsed or were damaged. The total economic damages were estimated at more than $610 million.