WEB DESK: Vietnam is grappling with one of its deadliest flooding disasters in recent years, as authorities confirmed Sunday that the death toll has climbed to 90, with 12 people still unaccounted for, according to the Ministry of Environment.
The central highlands province of Dak Lak has suffered the heaviest losses, recording more than 60 fatalities since severe weather began pounding the region on November 16. Widespread flooding has left tens of thousands of homes underwater, the ministry said.
South-central Vietnam has endured persistent torrential rains since late October, triggering multiple rounds of floods in popular tourist areas. Entire neighborhoods in the coastal city of Nha Trang were submerged last week, and dangerous landslides swept across highland routes leading to the Da Lat vacation district.
Several national highways remained impassable on Sunday due to landslides and standing floodwater, while parts of the country’s rail network were also disrupted. Electricity outages continued to affect more than 129,000 consumers, following a peak last week when over a million people lost power.
The environment ministry estimated total economic losses across five provinces at roughly $343 million.
From January to October, natural disasters have killed or left missing 279 people nationwide and caused damage exceeding $2 billion, according to Vietnam’s statistics office. Although heavy rainfall is common between June and September, scientists warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, pushing them to become more destructive and less predictable.
