Heavy rainfall is also forecast in Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, and the area stretching from Ha Tinh to northern Quang Tri.

Prolonged downpours in recent days have inundated provinces from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, forcing tens of thousands of households to evacuate urgently. Water levels on major rivers remain high, with some exceeding level 3 flood warnings.

According to the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), between October 25 and the morning of October 29, the central region recorded extreme rainfall amounts ranging from 500 to 700mm. Several locations received over 1,000mm, including Bach Ma (Hue) with 3,393mm and Tra Thanh (Quang Ngai) with 1,457mm.

Heavy rains are expected to persist through today and tomorrow in Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Tri, and Quang Ngai, with localized areas again exceeding 400mm.

Floodwaters rise, dikes breached and eroded

Flood levels on the Huong, Bo, Vu Gia - Thu Bon, and Tra Khuc rivers have surpassed level 3 alerts, causing overflows, flooding, and erosion along multiple river dike systems and estuarine levees.

In Quang Tri, the 46-kilometer-long Hai Lang flood dike is submerged by 0.5 meters. In Thua Thien Hue, several sections of dikes along the Huong and Truoi rivers are under 1.2 meters of water. In Da Nang, 20 meters of the Ly Ly River dike (in Xuan Phu commune) have collapsed.

Nguyen Van Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention, reported that due to prolonged rains, many hydropower and irrigation dams have had to discharge water to ensure safety. Reservoirs like Ta Trach and Huong Dien (Hue), and A Vuong and Song Tranh 2 (Da Nang) are operating at or above normal water levels.

According to the national meteorological agency, from the morning of October 29 through the night of October 30, Hue and Da Nang will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, ranging from 120 to 250mm, with localized totals over 400mm. Southern Quang Tri and eastern Quang Ngai can expect 80 to 180mm, possibly more than 350mm in certain areas. From Ha Tinh to northern Quang Tri, rainfall will range from 70 to 140mm, with some places receiving more than 250mm.

Rainfall is forecast to gradually ease across the Hue - Quang Ngai region starting October 30.

Over 100,000 homes flooded, 21,000 people evacuated

Initial statistics indicate that floods in central Vietnam have resulted in three deaths, five missing persons, and 11 injuries. Thirteen houses collapsed, 60 were damaged, and over 103,000 homes have been severely flooded - most notably in Hue and Da Nang.

Local authorities have evacuated more than 7,000 households, totaling over 21,400 people. Students have also been given leave from school for safety.

In agriculture, nearly 2,300 hectares of rice and crops were damaged. More than 5,400 livestock and poultry perished or were swept away. National highways and the North-South railway were temporarily suspended due to landslides.

Eleven national highways and many segments of the Ho Chi Minh Road were submerged or eroded, with 301 landslide points involving over 44,000 cubic meters of debris. The Van Xa - Hue railway section was blocked, forcing the suspension of multiple North-South passenger trains.

Authorities have posted warning signs and blocked access to heavily flooded areas, while urgently initiating early recovery efforts.

On the morning of October 28, an earthquake with a magnitude of approximately 3.0 and a focal depth of 8.1 kilometers was recorded in Mang But commune, Quang Ngai province.

On October 28, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha directly inspected and directed flood recovery efforts in Hue. Earlier, the Prime Minister issued two urgent directives (No. 202 and 203), calling on central coastal provinces to intensify emergency response, rescue operations, and swift recovery efforts.

Military and police forces have mobilized over 25,000 officers and soldiers, along with hundreds of vehicles, to support residents in severely flooded areas. They are organizing evacuations, maintaining public order, and repairing damaged infrastructure.

Vu Diep