Vietnam floods: Heavy rain and flooding have killed at least 41 people in central Vietnam since the weekend. The search is still on for nine people who are missing. More than 52,000 homes are underwater, and around five lakh homes and businesses have no electricity.
In some places, the rainfall over the last three days exceeded 1.5 metres, and in a few areas, it even surpassed the 1993 flood record of 5.2 metres. The worst-hit regions include the coastal cities of Hoi An and Nha Trang. A major coffee-growing area in the central highlands has also been badly affected, where farmers are already struggling because earlier storms had delayed their harvest.
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Rescue teams are still operating in the affected areas, working to save residents trapped on the rooftops of submerged houses. Over the past three days, rainfall in several parts of the region has surpassed 150 cm. The area, known for its major coffee-growing zones and popular beach destinations, has been heavily impacted.
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No Power, several key roads are impassable
Vietnam's Environment Ministry reported on Thursday that the fatalities were recorded across six provinces, and search efforts continue for nine missing individuals. More than 52,000 homes have been inundated, forcing nearly 62,000 people to evacuate. Landslides have rendered several key roads impassable, and about one million households remain without power.
Heavy Rainfall predicted
Heavy rainfall is predicted for several areas, including the central coastal region, the Central Highlands, and the southern region, with potential flash floods on small rivers and streams, landslides on slopes, and flooding in low-lying, urban, and industrial areas, the Vietnamese Met department said.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the Cebu region was among the hardest hit by Typhoon Kalmaegi, accounting for 71 of the 114 confirmed deaths and reporting widespread flooding and landslides across several towns and cities. The Cebu region is still recovering from a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on September 30, which displaced thousands and resulted in the death of at least 79 people.
Natural Disasters
Extreme weather has battered Vietnam in recent months. Two typhoons, Kalmaegi and Bualoi, left a trail of deaths and destruction within weeks of each other. Natural disasters in Vietnam have wreaked damage amounting to $2bn between January to October this year, according to government estimates.