Deadly floods and landslides have claimed at least 90 lives and left a dozen missing across south-central Vietnam, as record-breaking rainfall inflicts severe human and economic costs.
The Environment Ministry reported the rising death toll last Sunday, with 12 people still unaccounted for after several days of relentless downpours. Over 60 fatalities occurred in Dak Lak province alone since November 16.
Some areas have seen more than 1,900 millimeters (75 inches) of rain in a single week, a deluge that has continued since late October. This extreme weather has devastated vital coffee-producing regions and popular tourist destinations.
The economic damage from these floods is estimated at 8.98 trillion Vietnamese Dong, equivalent to approximately $308 million USD. This adds to a broader annual toll from extreme weather, which has already caused 279 deaths or disappearances and over $2 billion USD in damages this year.
Rescue teams have employed boats to reach trapped residents, in some cases breaking windows and drilling through roofs to access those stranded in provinces like Gia Lai and Dak Lak. Military, police, and other security forces have been mobilized for evacuations.
In Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province, emergency aid deliveries of food and water were crucial for flooded hospitals. Reports indicated doctors and patients in some facilities had subsisted on instant noodles and water for three days.
The National Weather Forecasting Agency noted record-breaking river levels, with the Ba River in Dak Lak surpassing 1993 highs at two points last Thursday morning. The Cai River in Khanh Hoa province also reached unprecedented levels.
Preliminary reports from Vietnam’s disaster management authority indicate over 235,000 homes have been inundated. Nearly 500,000 rai (approximately 80,000 hectares or 197,680 acres) of agricultural land have also been destroyed.
While Vietnam typically experiences heavy rains from June to September, scientific evidence suggests human-induced climate change is intensifying the frequency and destructive power of extreme weather events.