Tourists paddle to safety after Storm Damrey drowns Hoi An

The spouses of some APEC leaders are scheduled to pay a visit to Hoi An next week. However, since Sunday morning, the atmospheric port town and popular stop on Vietnam's tourist circuit has been submerged in water.

Boats have become the only means of transport from flood-affected areas to higher places.

"Living in Hoi An we are accustomed to floods," said Hoai Nam, whose sourvenir shop has been submerged. "However, this time the water rose so fast that I could not clean up my goods in time. Some of them got soaked in water." 

Many other shops and restaurants are under water too. Traffic has been paralyzed as floodwater continues to rise.

Hoi An residents are moving quickly out of the flooded areas.

... or simply to higher ground.

"The water rose quickly from midnight. Our house is submerged in the water so we've had to move to my relative's house. This is some food I prepared earlier for the flood," said Sa, a local resident.

By Sunday afternoon, floodwater had reached 1.5 meters (5 feet) in some parts of town.

Foreign tourists were being transferred by boats to hotels in higher areas.

The Japanese Pagoda under water.

Weather forecasters said that water levels will continue to rise over the next six hours.