Heavy rainfall and hydroelectric dam discharges have once again flooded the ancient town of Hoi An (Da Nang City), marking the third flood in just 20 days.
Starting the afternoon of November 17, water surged into many streets, prompting residents to hurriedly move their belongings to higher ground.
Flooding began in the early hours of the day due to prolonged rains and reservoir releases. By late evening, water levels continued to rise, submerging much of the central old town.
As observed by VietNamNet at 3:30 PM on November 17, streets such as Bach Dang, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Nguyen Phuc Chu, and Nguyen Hoang had been overtaken by floodwaters, severely disrupting the movement of locals and tourists.This marks the third time Hoi An’s ancient quarter has flooded since late October. By 5:30 PM, waters had reached the base of the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau), yet the area still attracted large numbers of visitors capturing images amid the rising tide.Later in the afternoon, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street - linking the Japanese Bridge to Song Hoai Square - was submerged in more than half a meter of water.Hua Van Loc, a souvenir shop owner on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, said he began moving goods to higher shelves and attic space around 1:00 PM after receiving warnings that flood levels could reach alarm level 3. In a previous historic flood, Loc’s house was inundated by more than 1.8 meters of water. “During the October 28 flood, water surged over 1.5 meters into my house, toppling tables and damaging many items. I’m being extra cautious this time,” he shared.By 6:00 PM, floodwaters had continued to rise despite a break in the rain, leaving large parts of the ancient town underwater. Near the Song Hoai area, many residents proactively elevated or relocated possessions to safer spots as water began to creep into streets. Facing three floods within 20 days, many locals said their lives had been completely upended.
At Shop Bi 19 on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, the owner stacked racks of shoes and bags as high as possible.
“I moved everything to the highest floor, over two meters up. The last flood didn’t reach that height, but this time I’m taking no chances,” she said.
Second floors, usually reserved for daily living, have become emergency storage areas for flood protection.Employees at a nearby café near the Japanese Bridge were seen moving furniture and equipment to the upper floor.Shop owners packed merchandise in plastic bags and carried them to elevated areas outside the pedestrian zone for temporary storage.Hoi An residents also moved their cars and motorcycles onto bridges and other high spots to avoid flood damage.Bach Dang Street, located next to the Japanese Bridge, was submerged in over 1 meter of water. Residents and visitors could only travel by boat.Many shops near the Hoai River area had to close due to severe flooding.Despite the fast-rising waters, the ancient town remained lively with tourists exploring the submerged streets and taking photographs.Some appeared to enjoy the rare experience of wading through floodwaters in the historic setting.Others took boat rides to admire Hoi An during flood season.
Vietnamnet.vn
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