Vietnam has been hit by record-breaking rainfall that submerged the central city of Hue and forced thousands of residents to evacuate, officials confirmed Tuesday.
According to the environment ministry, three measuring stations in Hue recorded between one and 1.7 meters of rain in just 24 hours from Sunday to Monday. This shattered the city’s previous record of 0.99 meters set in 1999.
The torrential downpour has inundated large parts of the central coastal region, closing schools and flooding Hue, a UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 8,600 people across four provinces have been evacuated to schools and public buildings since Saturday due to the risk of severe flooding and landslides.
“This was the biggest flood I have experienced, with water levels in my house about 40 centimeters higher than that of 1999,” said Hue resident Tran Anh Tuan, 56. He described his ground floor being submerged under two meters of water, forcing his family to move essential belongings upstairs. Power cuts have left them in darkness for more than a day.
Images from state media showed floodwaters inside a hospital ward, with patients stranded on gurneys. In Hoi An, tourists were seen navigating the ancient town’s narrow streets by boat, while authorities carried out evacuations in heavily affected areas.
Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, warned that the risk of flash floods and landslides remains at the highest level. More rain is forecast for central provinces through Wednesday.
The flooding has disrupted transport, with schools closed in Hue and Danang since Saturday and delays reported on the north-south railway line.
Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, making storms and floods more destructive. Earlier this month, northern Vietnam and Hanoi were hit by severe flooding following typhoons Bualoi and Matmo.
Natural disasters, mostly storms, floods, and landslides, have already left 187 people dead or missing in Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, with economic losses estimated at more than $610 million, according to the General Statistics Office.
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