Vietnam flood death toll climbs to 90, search continues for 12 missing people

Major flooding in Vietnam, triggered by days of relentless rain and landslides, has resulted in the deaths of 90 people, with 12 people still reported missing, the environment ministry said on Sunday.

South-central Vietnam has witnessed adverse weather events since late October, bringing several rounds of flooding that have impacted popular holiday destinations, AFP reported.

Which areas were worst hit?

Whole sections of the coastal city of Nha Trang city were completely flooded last week, while deadly landslides struck highland passes around the Da Lat tourist hub.

The mountainous province of Dak Lak was among the hardest hit areas, where more than 60 deaths have been recorded since 16 November and tens of thousands of homes have been inundated, the environment ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said four communes in Dak Lak remained flooded as of Sunday. Over the past week, the flooding has damaged over 80,000 hectares of rice and other crops across Dak Lak and four neighbouring provinces. It has also resulted in the loss of more than 3.2 million livestock and poultry, which were either killed or washed away by floodwaters.

People recount their experiences

61-year-old farmer Mach Van Si from Dak Lak described the situation, stating that the floodwaters left him and his wife stranded on their sheet-metal rooftop for two nights.

“Our neighborhood was completely destroyed. Nothing was left. Everything was covered in mud,” he told AFP on Sunday.

By the time they climbed a ladder to their roof, Si said he was no longer scared. “I just thought we were going to die because there was no way out,” he shared.

Rescue efforts in the affected areas

Authorities have deployed tens of thousands of personnel to assist the affected people, including using helicopters to airdrop aid to communities cut off by flooding and landslides.

Supplies, including clothing, water-purification tablets, instant noodles, among other necessities were also delivered by the personnel to these affected areas, state outlet Tuoi Tre News reported.

Infrastructure damage and losses

The severe flooding in southern coastal Khanh Hoa province washed away two suspension bridges last week, isolating many households, AFP reported.

Several locations along national highways also remained blocked as of Sunday due to flooding or landslides, and some railway sections were also suspended.

The disruptions extended further, with over 129,000 customers having no access to electricity.

The environment ministry on Sunday estimated the economic losses across five provinces due to the floods at $343 million.

While, Vietnam is prone to heavy rain between June and September, scientists have identified a pattern of human-driven climate change making such extreme weather more frequent and destructive.

The country has already seen a significant impact from natural disasters this year, with 279 people dead or missing and over $2 billion in damages between January and October, according to the national statistics office.