The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Vietnam has climbed to 90, with a further 12 people reported missing, the country's environment ministry confirmed on Sunday. The devastating situation comes after days of relentless rain and destructive landslides pummelled the south-central region.
A Region Submerged
Since late October, south-central Vietnam has been lashed by heavy rain, with popular holiday destinations suffering through multiple rounds of flooding. Rainfall in some areas exceeded 1,900mm (74.8 inches) over the past week alone. This region is not only a major coffee production belt and home to idyllic beaches but is also notoriously prone to storms and flooding.
The mountainous central province of Dak Lak has borne the brunt of the disaster, accounting for more than 60 of the fatalities recorded since 16 November. A government statement revealed that tens of thousands of homes in Dak Lak have been flooded, causing widespread displacement and devastation.
Rescue Efforts and Record River Levels
Emergency services have been engaged in a massive rescue operation. State media reported that last week, rescuers in boats navigated flooded streets in central Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces, prying open windows and breaking through roofs to reach residents stranded by the high water. The army, police, and other security forces have been mobilised to relocate and evacuate people to safer areas.
The crisis has severely impacted essential services. The state-run Thanh Nien newspaper reported that rescuers had to deliver food and water to flooded hospitals in the coastal city of Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh province. At one medical facility, doctors and patients were forced to survive on instant noodles and water for three days before help arrived.
Record-breaking river levels have exacerbated the situation. The weather bureau stated that water levels in the Ba River in Dak Lak province surpassed a record set in 1993 in two locations early on Thursday. Similarly, the Cai River in Khanh Hoa province surged to a new historic high.
Economic Cost and Climate Context
The scale of the damage is immense. Vietnam's disaster agency reported that more than 235,000 houses have been flooded and nearly 80,000 hectares of crops have been damaged. The government estimates the economic cost of the flooding so far at a staggering 8.98 trillion Vietnamese dong (£241 million).
This disaster is part of a worrying trend of extreme weather in Vietnam. According to the national statistics office, between January and October, severe weather events have left 279 people dead or missing and caused more than $2 billion in damage. While the south-east Asian nation typically experiences heavy rain between June and September, scientific evidence points to a pattern of human-driven climate change, making such extreme weather events more frequent and destructive.
