Vietnam Floods Claim Dozens of Lives as Heavy Rains Trigger Widespread Destruction

Vietnam is reeling from days of relentless rainfall that have caused severe flooding and landslides, leaving at least 90 people dead and 12 still unaccounted for.

Government officials report that the flooding has damaged an estimated 186,000 homes across the country, while millions of livestock have been washed away. The economic toll is already expected to run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

Dak Lak, a mountainous province in the Central Highlands, has suffered the greatest losses. According to AFP, more than 60 people in the region have died since the floods began on 16 November.

The disaster comes on the heels of an unusually harsh period of weather for Vietnam, following two recent typhoons, Kalmaegi and Bualoi, which struck only weeks apart.

By Sunday morning, power outages had affected roughly 258,000 people, and major transport routes, including sections of national highways and rail lines, were blocked by debris and floodwaters.

In response, the military and police have deployed personnel and equipment to areas facing the worst conditions.

The government identified Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong, all located in the southern and south-central regions, as the most devastated provinces.

One resident of Dak Lak, farmer Mach Van Si, described the situation in his community to AFP, saying their neighbourhood had been wiped out and left covered in thick mud.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who is currently in South Africa attending the G20 summit, led an emergency virtual meeting on Sunday to coordinate national response efforts.

Rainfall levels surpassed 1.5 metres in several places before Friday, with some stations recording heights of more than 5.2 metres, a level not experienced since 1993. Meteorologists say the downpours are expected to ease in the coming days.

Experts warn that climate change is making Vietnam increasingly susceptible to extreme weather, contributing to stronger and more frequent storms and typhoons across the region.