Nha Trang streets flooded as heavy rain drenches the popular beach town in south central Vietnam

Low elevation communes on the outskirts of the south-central beach town of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province were submerged under more than 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) of water after heavy downpour triggered flooding on Saturday. Water entered many houses and those attempting to pass through the flooded streets on motorbike often ended up with a dead engine.

On October 23 Street, a key road connecting downtown Nha Trang with Dien Khanh District and National Highway 1A, traffic police had to put up warning signs as most vehicles attempting to pass through would find their wheels completely underwater. "This morning I went to deliver goods to a client in Cam Lam District. The road was still normal back then but when I go back in the afternoon it's already flooded. My car managed to drive for a short distance but then the engine died," driver Nguyen Van Phuong said.

Some locals had to travel around by boat.

After seeing many motorbike engines die from flood water, Nguyen Van Chien decided to block his motorbike's exhaust pipe. "This way water won't be able to get in. I just need to walk it through the flooded section then I can ride it as normal," he said.

Thuy, 34, was picking her son up from school when her motorbike's engine died. Unable to walk the motorbike all the way home with her son on it, she eventually had to let the boy wade through the flood water on foot.

Many people hired freight tuk tuks to transport their motorbikes through flooded areas for VND50,000 ($2.2).

With the sidewalk flooded, customers at this noodle stall had to eat while standing or sitting in uncomfortable positions. "I already cooked a lot of fish noodle in the morning so I'm trying to sell them all to break even," the vendor said.

Since his rented house in Vinh Hiep Commune had been flooded, this foreign man had to pack up and move to a higher area.

Khanh Hoa Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue said reservoirs in the province have been filling up after days of heavy rain, forcing some to discharge water. Cai River's water level is therefore expected to reach level 3, the highest level of emergency.