The city of Hue in Vietnam is grappling with unprecedented flooding after record rainfall overwhelmed the region. In a shocking overnight deluge, three measuring stations recorded rainfall exceeding one metre, marking a new national record.
Record Rainfall and Evacuations
According to the Environment Ministry, from 7 PM on Sunday to 7 PM on Monday, the city experienced up to 1.7 metres of rain. This smashed the previous record of 0.99 metres set in 1999.
- 8,600 people evacuated from four central provinces.
- Schools closed across the region.
- Warnings of continuing rain and flooding until Friday.
Local resident Tran Anh Tuan reported, “This was the biggest flood I have experienced, with water levels in my house about 40 cm higher than that of 1999.” Many residents are currently without power, as the conditions have severely affected infrastructure.
Widespread Disruption
Pictures from state media illustrated the chaos, with hospitals facing flooding and tourists in Hoi An navigating boat-filled streets. The landslide in Quang Ngai province resulted in about 1,700 individuals being isolated.
Climate Change: An Ominous Trend
Experts warn that the effects of climate change are making extreme weather more frequent and intense.”The level of natural disaster risk due to flash floods and landslides is at the highest level,” remarked Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Natural disasters this year alone claimed 187 lives or caused individuals to go missing, revealing the dire need for comprehensive disaster preparedness and resilience strategies.