Severe flooding in central Vietnam has resulted in at least 41 fatalities, with numerous residents displaced and homes submerged as rains continue to batter the region. This deluge has left over 52,000 homes underwater and half a million households without electricity since the rains began.

Substantial rainfall, exceeding 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) in some areas, has led to overwhelming conditions surpassing the peak flood levels recorded in 1993. Thousands have been evacuated from the worst-hit regions as the government scrambles to ensure safety and provide relief.

The coastal cities of Hoi An and Nha Trang, along with the central highlands coffee-growing region, have been significantly affected. The government estimates that natural disasters in the country have wrought $2 billion (£1.5 billion) in damages between January and October. Farmers in Dak Lak province, a major coffee-producing area, are facing a stalled harvest due to the floods.

Authorities have declared states of emergency in severe cases, especially where landslides have destroyed vital infrastructure such as roads. The Mimosa Pass, a key route into the tourist city of Da Lat, suffered a collapse, highlighting the precariousness of the situation.

Military and police have been deployed to set up emergency shelters and facilitate evacuations. Meanwhile, local businesses are grappling with significant losses; restaurant owner Bui Quoc Vinh expressed concerns that his businesses were engulfed under meters of floodwater.

This catastrophic weather follows a trend of extreme conditions in Vietnam over recent months, with typhoons Kalmaegi and Bualoi causing destruction and loss of life earlier in the season. Experts emphasize that climate change is intensifying the severity and frequency of such storms, marking a serious concern for the future.