Floods kill at least 9, leave 5 missing in central Vietnam

HANOI (Reuters/AP) – Floods triggered by record heavy rains have killed at least nine people and left five others missing in central Vietnam, the government said on Wednesday.

Six of the fatalities were in Danang, home to one of the country's most popular beaches, and the ancient town of Hoi An, the government said in a statement.

The floods have also inundated more than 103,000 houses, mostly in the country's top tourist sites of Hue and Hoi An, the government's disaster agency said in a separate report.

Vietnam is prone to often deadly storms and flooding that cause widespread property damage, especially during the storm season from June until October.

Heavy rains continue to lash the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital Hue and the ancient town of Hoi An, the agency said, after rainfall in the area hit a record high in the 24-hour period ending late on Monday, exceeding 1,000 millimetres.

Photos circulating on state media showed that much of Hoi An remained inundated by flood water, with several houses submerged up to their roofs.

In Hue, 32 out of 40 communes had been hit by flood waters with depths of 1-2 metres.

In nearby Danang, water in most of its reservoirs has reached maximum depths, while water levels in its rivers also continued to rise, the government said.

"Widespread flooding continues in low-lying areas along rivers and in urban areas, with high risks of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas of Danang," it said.

Landslides have occurred in several areas, cutting off traffic and knocking down power grids, the disaster agency said, adding that the country's state-run railway firm hasn't yet been able to resume services between capital Hanoi and business hub Ho Chi Minh City following a suspension on Tuesday.

Heavy rain will continue in central Vietnam over the next two days, with rainfall in some areas staying above 400 millimetres from early Wednesday until late Thursday, according to the government's weather forecast agency.

Rainfall in the central city of Hue reached 1,085 millimeters (42 inches) in 24 hours by late Monday, the highest volume ever recorded in Vietnam, according to the country’s meteorological department.

By Tuesday morning, water levels in Hue’s iconic Perfume River had risen to 4.62 meters (15 feet) and were waist-deep in the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital and the ancient town of Hoi An.

Tourists were evacuated by boat from Hoi An after persistent rains and releases from hydroelectric dams caused water in the Hoai River to rise nearly 2 meters (6 1/2 feet). State media said around 40,000 tourists were moved to other hotels.

“The flood was rising so fast and we had to quickly relocate our guests to other hotels outside the flooding area for their safety,” said Nguyen Ngoc Anh, a hotelier near the Thu Bon river in Hoi An. He said they could only secure the doors of the hotels and evacuate the flooded premises.

The floods in Hue submerged homes and cut off major streets, state media reported, adding that residents used boats to move around.

The train route between Hanoi in the north and the southern financial capital of Ho Chi Minh city was suspended, impacting thousands of passengers, state media said.

On Monday evening, Vietnam’s railways positioned 19 carriages laden with heavy stones weighing 980 tons (1,080 U.S. tons) on a bridge to prevent it from being swept away by floodwaters, state media said.

About 1,000 people in rural pockets of the Thua Thien Hue province were isolated by flooding and landslides, said Australian nonprofit Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. The number includes 200 children under its care.

Global warming is making tropical storms stronger and wetter, according to experts, because warmer oceans provide them with more fuel, driving more intense winds, heavier rainfall and shifting precipitation patterns across East Asia.

Vietnam is among the most flood-prone countries worldwide with nearly half its population living in areas of risk.