Bach Dang, Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa and Nguyen Phuc Chu streets near the Hoai River were under 1.2–1.5 meters of water, while many inner streets were under 0.8–1 meter.
The river rose above alarm level three, the highest flood warning,
An Hoi Bridge, which crosses the Hoai River and connects the town with the Nguyen Hoang night market, turned into a river itself. Sanitation workers waded in waist-deep water to collect garbage and clear debris to help the floodwaters drain quickly into the Cua Dai estuary.
The Pagoda Bridge, a symbol of Hoi An, remained crowded with tourists though reaching it required wading through flooded streets. As one of the few dry areas in town, a section of Tran Phu Street near the bridge became a gathering point from where small boats transported locals and visitors between inundated streets.
During the Oct. 28 flood riverside streets such as Bach Dang and Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa were submerged under up to 2.5 meters of water. The water rose to about one meter at the Pagoda Bridge, the highest level recorded there since 1999.
This time the flooding is a meter lower than on Oct. 28. The Pagoda Bridge itself was dry, but surrounding streets such as Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Tran Phu were under 0.8–1 meter of water.
Along Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets, which run parallel to the riverside streets of Ton Nu Ngoc Hoa and Bach Dang, many households moved to the upper floors of their houses. On streets outside, boats were needed to traverse the deeper sections.
Inside Phung Hung Ancient House at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street near the Pagoda Bridge, staff had to raise wooden tables and chairs atop plastic stools. The historic flood on Oct. 28 had left the house under more than one meter of water, damaging many items.
The house was built in 1780 by a Vietnamese merchant during Hoi An's prosperous port-trading era. The current owners are eighth-generation descendants who continue to live in and preserve the house.
More tables and chairs have been taken to the second floor of the house to protect them from the water.
At No. 49 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, 82-year-old Nguyen Van Bien and his wife have dinner in a second-floor room as floodwaters reached nearly one meter below.
He said this is the third flooding in three weeks. Learning from the earlier floods, the couple had stocked up on food and other supplies. "The children wanted to take us to safer places, but we are used to living at home, and so didn't go," he says. The upper floor is more than three meters above street level, giving them some peace of mind, he adds.
Many heritage sites in the ancient town have had to close due to deep flooding, and entry ticket sales have been stopped.
At Cam Pho Communal House, which is more than 500 years old, floodwaters surrounded the structure. Many trees, repeatedly submerged in recent weeks, have turned yellow or died.
The communal house, restored in 1817 and 1897, has survived numerous historical events and retains most of its original architecture. It was named a national architectural heritage site in 1991.
As of late Tuesday afternoon there was still 0.8 meters of water outside the Hoi An Evangelical Church on Phan Chu Trinh Street, and some children played in it. Floodwaters also inundated the Hoai River Square in front of the church.
Many tourists rent boats to move around the ancient town to experience Hoi An’s flood season, while local people seemed accustomed to the inundation, with even children sitting calmly at their doorstep and watching the floodwaters flow past.
By Tuesday afternoon the water had started to recede, though very slowly. At a flood and storm briefing the same day, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned more heavy rains from Nov. 18 to 20 would cause water levels in rivers to rise again between Da Nang and Gia Lai.
In the Vu Gia–Thu Bon rivers, alarm levels may reach two to three or even go above three, meaning floodwaters could rise again in Hoi An since the Hoai is a branch of the Thu Bon.
