Catastrophic Floods Submerge Central Vietnam, Killing at Least 41

HANOI – Relentless torrential rains have unleashed devastating floods across central Vietnam, claiming at least 41 lives and leaving rescue teams scrambling to find nine individuals still missing, according to state media reports on Thursday.

The crisis, which began over the weekend, has transformed vast swathes of the country’s central provinces into inland seas. The deluge has submerged more than 52,000 homes and left half a million households and businesses without power, crippling communication and essential services.

Unprecedented Rainfall and Widespread Damage

The scale of the rainfall has been staggering. In several areas, precipitation totals over the past three days have exceeded 1.5 meters (5 feet). In some locations, water levels have surged beyond the historic 1993 flood peak of 5.2 meters, shattering long-standing records and overwhelming flood defenses.

The worst-hit areas include the popular coastal tourist destinations of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Nha Trang. The flooding has also inundated a key coffee production belt in the central highlands, dealing a second blow to farmers who were already reeling from a stalled harvest due to earlier storms.

A Nation Reeling from Repeated Blows

This disaster is the latest in a series of extreme weather events to batter Vietnam in recent months. The country is still recovering from the one-two punch of Typhoons Kalmaegi and Bualoi, which left a trail of death and destruction within weeks of each other. The cumulative toll is immense: according to government estimates, natural disasters have caused approximately $2 billion in damage between January and October of this year alone.

Rescue Efforts and Scenes of Desperation

Dramatic visuals have emerged from the affected regions, underscoring the severity of the situation. Local media have published photographs of residents stranded on rooftops as murky floodwaters filled their homes below. A widely circulated video captured the moment a suspension bridge in Lam Dong province was violently torn from its anchors and swept away by the raging currents.

The province has since declared a state of emergency after landslides damaged major roads and highways, severing critical supply and evacuation routes. In a particularly harrowing incident reported by the AFP news agency, a section of the Mimosa Pass—a key entry route into the popular tourist city of Da Lat—collapsed into a ravine. A passenger bus was reported to have narrowly avoided plunging into the newly formed chasm.

In response, tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from the flood-affected regions. Military troops and police officers have been deployed in force, working to establish emergency shelters and relocate people to safety.

Human Toll and Lingering Uncertainty

For those caught in the floods, the experience is one of helplessness and anxiety. Bui Quoc Vinh, a restaurant owner in Nha Trang, told AFP that his shops were submerged under about a meter of water.

“I am worried about our furniture in my restaurants and shops, but of course I cannot do anything now,” Vinh said. “I don’t think the water is going to recede soon, as the rain has not stopped.”

His fears are echoed by official forecasts. Authorities have warned that moderate to heavy downpours are expected to continue lashing central Vietnam through Sunday at least, raising concerns that the already dire situation could worsen before it improves. With rivers already at critical levels and the ground saturated, the threat of further landslides and flooding remains acute.

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