Central Vietnam is grappling with catastrophic flooding, as relentless rains have claimed the lives of at least 41 people, with nine more reported missing, according to state media.
Over the past few days, heavy downpours have submerged more than 52,000 homes and cut power to nearly half a million households and businesses. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated to safer areas as authorities continue rescue operations.
In some regions, rainfall has exceeded 1.5 meters (5ft), surpassing the previous 1993 flood levels of 5.2 meters in certain areas. Coastal cities like Hoi An and Nha Trang, along with central highlands coffee-growing regions, have been particularly affected. Dak Lak province, Vietnam’s largest coffee producer, has seen tens of thousands of homes underwater, further threatening an already stalled harvest from previous storms.
Natural disasters have inflicted an estimated $2 billion in damages across Vietnam from January to October this year. Typhoons Kalmaegi and Bualoi earlier this year compounded the destruction, leaving communities struggling to recover.
The government has deployed military and police forces to establish emergency shelters and assist with relocations. A state of emergency has been declared in several provinces after landslides blocked major roads, including a section of Mimosa Pass, a crucial route to Da Lat, which partially collapsed, narrowly avoiding a bus accident.
Images and videos circulating online depict residents stranded on rooftops and a suspension bridge torn from its anchors in Lam Dong province. Business owners, like restaurant proprietor Bui Quoc Vinh in Nha Trang, face severe losses as floodwaters rise to nearly a meter inside their establishments.
Authorities warn that heavy rainfall will continue at least until Sunday, prolonging the risk to life, property, and livelihoods across the affected regions.
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