Record rainfall in central Vietnam this week has killed 35 people and left five missing, officials say. Hoi An's UNESCO-listed old town was flooded to waist depth after a river hit a 60-year high, forcing residents to use boats. Authorities report more than 16,500 homes flooded, over 40,000 poultry and livestock lost, and 5,300 hectares (13,000 acres) of crops submerged. Scientists warn climate change is making such extreme events more intense.
Record Floods in Central Vietnam Kill 35, Leave 5 Missing as Hoi An Is Submerged
Record rainfall in central Vietnam this week has killed 35 people and left five missing, officials say. Hoi An's UNESCO-listed old town was flooded to waist depth after a river hit a 60-year high, forcing residents to use boats. Authorities report more than 16,500 homes flooded, over 40,000 poultry and livestock lost, and 5,300 hectares (13,000 acres) of crops submerged. Scientists warn climate change is making such extreme events more intense.
12:10, 02.11.2025Environment
Record floods devastate central Vietnam
Record downpours and flash flooding across central Vietnam this week have left 35 people dead and five others missing, the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA) said on Sunday. Coastal provinces have been battered by exceptionally heavy rain since last weekend, including a 24-hour period that produced up to 1.7 metres (5 ft 6 in) of rainfall — a national record.
The fatalities were reported in Hue, Da Nang, Lam Dong and Quang Tri provinces. Hoi An’s UNESCO-listed ancient town was submerged in waist-deep water after a major local river rose to its highest level in 60 years, forcing residents to travel by wooden boat while emergency teams respond.
"Everyone is in shock after the flood. People were preparing for the flood, but they didn't expect the water to rise so high," Hoi An resident Chuong Nguyen told AFP. "Many homes weren't able to get ready in time, so a lot of belongings were damaged. Everyone feels helpless due to the severe damage."
Scale of damage
The VDDMA reported more than 16,500 houses currently flooded, over 40,000 poultry and livestock swept away, and more than 5,300 hectares (about 13,000 acres) of cropland submerged. Earlier this week the environment ministry estimated that more than 100,000 homes had been flooded and recorded over 150 landslides.
Vietnam lies in one of the world’s most active tropical cyclone regions and typically faces heavy rains from June to September. On average about ten typhoons or tropical storms affect the country each year, but authorities say Vietnam had already seen 12 by 2025.
Natural disasters — mainly storms, floods and landslides — left 187 people dead or missing in the first nine months of the year, and government estimates put related economic losses at more than $610 million. Scientists warn that human-driven climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, contributing to deadlier floods and storms.
Local and national authorities continue search-and-rescue and relief operations, assess infrastructure damage, and coordinate aid for displaced families as rainfall eases in some areas but floodwaters remain high in others.