VIETNAM – Record-breaking rainfall and severe flooding across central Vietnam have claimed 35 lives this week, with five people still missing, disaster management officials announced today, 2 October 2025.
The devastating deluge has pummelled Vietnam’s coastal provinces since last weekend, with meteorological records showing up to 1.7 metres of rainfall falling within a 24-hour period spanning Sunday and Monday — the highest recorded levels in the region.
The fatalities occurred across four provinces: Hue, Da Nang, Lam Dong, and Quang Tri, according to a report released by the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA).
UNESCO site submerged
The ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been completely inundated with waist-deep floodwater, forcing residents to navigate the historic streets by wooden boat after the Thu Bon River overflowed to its highest level in 60 years.
“Everyone is in shock after the flood,” said Chuong Nguyen, a 43-year-old Hoi An resident, speaking to AFP on Sunday as rain continued to fall. “People were preparing for the flood, but they didn’t expect the water to rise so high.”
“Many homes weren’t able to get ready in time, so a lot of belongings were damaged,” Nguyen added. “Everyone feels helpless due to the severe damage.”
Widespread destruction
The flooding has caused extensive damage across the region, with more than 16,500 houses currently submerged, according to the VDDMA. Agricultural losses have been severe, with over 40,000 poultry and livestock swept away and more than 5,300 hectares of cropland completely submerged.
Earlier this week, Vietnam’s environment ministry reported that over 100,000 homes had been flooded and documented more than 150 landslides across the affected areas.
Climate change connection
Scientists attribute the increasing severity of such extreme weather events to human-driven climate change, which is making storms and floods more deadly and destructive worldwide.
Vietnam sits within one of Earth’s most active tropical cyclone regions and typically experiences heavy rainfall between June and September. Whilst the country usually faces ten typhoons or tropical storms annually, 2025 has already seen 12 such weather systems impact the nation.
Annual toll
Natural disasters — predominantly storms, floods, and landslides — have left 187 people dead or missing in Vietnam during the first nine months of this year alone. Government figures estimate total economic losses at more than $610 million (R10.5 billion) for the period.
The current flooding represents one of the most severe weather events to strike the region in recent memory, highlighting Vietnam’s vulnerability to increasingly extreme climate conditions.
