Greenhouses and net houses in D'ran Commune, a major agricultural hub located over 30 km east of resort town Da Lat, were flattened following a flash flood at the end of November. The disaster left debris scattered across the commune and caused losses exceeding VND130 billion (US$4.93 million).
Prolonged heavy rains on Nov. 16-21 across south-central Vietnam triggered the flooding, which submerged and eroded approximately 1,320 hectares of agricultural land. The devastation extended beyond farmland, with the floods sweeping away production materials and destroying 15 homes in residential areas.
One greenhouse was completely crushed, leaving only a twisted steel frame and exposed electrical system.
The area was a high-tech agricultural hub. It boasted over 3,000 hectares of vegetable cultivation, including more than 1,880 hectares utilizing advanced farming methods and 320 hectares dedicated to greenhouses and net houses.
Chrysanthemums wrapped in plastic nets lay collapsed on the ground, many wilted or dead from prolonged submersion in floodwater.
Le Thi Quyen clears away dead plants and debris from her family’s high-tech seedling greenhouse.
The flood destroyed seedling racks and ruined 500 coconut fiber mats that could not be moved in time, causing an estimated loss of VND1 billion (US$38,000) for the family.
In addition to crop damage, debris carried by floodwaters littered the rows of net houses.
Lam Dong was among the provinces most severely affected by the floods in south central Vietnam in mid-November, which were the worse in the area in 50 years.
The province reported five deaths and one injury, while 23 houses were destroyed or swept away and another 206 were damaged.
The agricultural sector suffered heavy losses, with over 4,570 hectares of crops, mostly vegetables, destroyed and more than 18,600 livestock and poultry lost. Infrastructure was also hit hard, with 33 major landslides reported along key roads. Total damages are estimated at over VND1.055 trillion.
