Heavier-than-normal rain and landslides have left at least 13 people dead, 11 missing and tens of thousands displaced in central Vietnam, where authorities are racing to reach cut-off communities and curb further damage.
Rescue push gathers momentum as waters recede
Rescue efforts intensified on Friday across central Vietnam after days of record rain and deadly landslides, according to the government press office in Hanoi. The death toll has reached 13, with 11 people missing and nearly 26,000 residents evacuated from flooded or landslide-prone zones, according to an AP News report.
With floodwaters beginning to subside, authorities deployed helicopters, troops and boats to reach previously isolated villages. Food, medicine and emergency rice aid are being delivered, while roads, power lines and schools are being restored. The vital north-south rail link between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City was reopened early Friday after being cut for three days.
Scale of damage and looming risks
Central Vietnam has suffered severe flooding after rainfall last week surpassed 1,000 mm (42 inches) in 24 hours in parts of the region, notably in the city of Hue.
About 120,000 houses were flooded, with 56 destroyed and 147 badly damaged. Rivers surged and landslides struck hilly provinces, cutting off villages. Meteorologists warn that heavy rain may continue through November 4, with some areas expecting another 700 mm or more of rainfall, increasing the threat of further floods and landslides.
The flooding has also impacted tourism in historic towns like Hoi An and Hue, where streets have turned into canals and hotels have shut down amid evacuation efforts, AP noted.
The Vietnamese government has declared an emergency, giving top priority to relief, reconstruction and ensuring no resident is left without shelter or food.
