Phu Quoc streets vanish underwater after heaviest rain in 25 years floods tourist island

The downpour, which started around 8 p.m. on Oct. 29 and lasted until nearly midnight, left many parts of the island deeply flooded.

Major roads such as Nguyen Trung Truc, Tran Hung Dao and 30 Thang 4, as well as the old airport area, were turned into rivers as water surged into homes and shops. Vehicles stalled, businesses were inundated, and residents scrambled to move belongings to higher ground.

"It was like a sea out there," said local resident Hoang Anh Tuan, who lives on Nguyen Trung Truc Street. "By 10 p.m., the rain was still pounding, and everything: goods, motorbikes, furniture... was underwater."

 

 

Phu Quoc streets vanish underwater after heaviest rain in 25 years floods tourist island

Phú Quốc ngập

By the morning of Oct. 30, the floodwaters had largely receded and life on the island returned to normal. Authorities said they worked through the night to open drainage gates, regulate reservoirs and clear blockages to ease flooding.

Experts attributed the repeated flooding to Phu Quoc's rapid urbanization, which has filled in ponds, narrowed waterways and led to dense construction, overloading the island's drainage capacity. As a result, every heavy rain now risks submerging parts of the island, posing growing challenges for both residents and tourism in Vietnam's top island destination.