Central Vietnam braces for more rain amid deadly flooding

The deluge is expected to hit areas from Da Nang City, home to the popular tourist destination of Hoi An, southward to northern Khanh Hoa Province, which encompasses the coastal city of Nha Trang.

On Friday and into the night, the eastern parts of provinces stretching from Da Nang to Dak Lak and northern Khanh Hoa are forecast to receive moderate to heavy rain. Widespread rainfall is predicted to be between 40-80 mm, with some areas seeing over 150 mm of rain.

The region will continue to experience moderate to heavy rain on Saturday, with some locations again encountering very heavy downpours. Common rainfall is expected to range from 30-60 mm, with some spots surpassing 100 mm.

Into Sunday, the eastern, coastal areas of provinces from Da Nang to Gia Lai are predicted to receive 30-60 mm of rain, with very heavy rain exceeding 100 mm in some locations.

The center projects that the heavy rain across the central region will begin to decrease rapidly starting Monday.

The south-central corridor from Da Nang to Khanh Hoa has been battered by severe weather since last weekend, leading to extensive flooding and landslides. Over the past two days, exceptionally heavy rainfall was recorded from Da Nang down to Lam Dong Province, home to Da Lat.

Some areas in Dak Lak saw precipitation as high as 319.6 mm while parts of Khanh Hoa recorded a staggering 613.2 mm.

Soil moisture models indicate that several areas in these provinces are nearing saturation (above 85%). Experts warn that if the heavy rain persists, these locations face a heightened risk of landslides, subsidence, and flash floods.

The recent floods have already inflicted a heavy toll across central Vietnam. According to the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the disaster has claimed the lives of 41 people and left nine others missing.

The fatalities include 16 in Dak Lak, 14 in Khanh Hoa, 4 in Lam Dong, 3 in Gia Lai, and 2 each in Hue and Da Nang.

The damage report indicates that 167 homes have been destroyed, and over 52,000 houses have been inundated, with the majority of affected homes located in Dak Lak (approximately 23,000), Gia Lai (19,200), and Khanh Hoa (9,000). Agricultural losses are also extensive, with more than 13,000 hectares of crops, nearly 2,100 hectares of perennial plants, 88 hectares of aquaculture, and over 30,700 head of livestock and poultry affected by the widespread flooding.