Record Rainfall Forces Mass Evacuations in Central Vietnam

Thousands of people in central Vietnam were forced to leave their homes after record rainfall, up to 1.7 metres in just one day  flooded the historic city of Hue and nearby areas, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said on Tuesday.

The torrential downpour, which shattered Hue’s previous rainfall record set in 1999, has submerged large parts of the UNESCO-listed city, cutting power and forcing emergency evacuations from homes, hospitals, and schools. More than 8,600 people across four provinces have been relocated to public shelters amid fears of flash floods and landslides.

Local authorities reported severe flooding across Hue’s streets and hospitals, with residents describing it as the worst deluge in decades. “This was the biggest flood I have experienced,” said 56-year-old Hue resident Tran Anh Tuan, whose home was submerged under two metres of water.

State media images showed patients stranded in flooded hospital wards and tourists navigating the ancient streets of Hoi An by boat. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that disaster risk levels were at their highest, with more rain expected through Wednesday.

The severe weather follows a string of typhoons that have battered Vietnam this month, underscoring the country’s growing vulnerability to extreme climate events. In the first nine months of this year alone, floods, storms, and landslides have left nearly 190 people dead or missing and caused economic losses exceeding $600 million.