Central Vietnam is reeling after a week of relentless rain unleashed catastrophic flooding and landslides across the region, leaving at least 28 people dead and six still missing as of November 1, 2025. The brunt of the devastation has been felt in Hue and Da Nang, where swollen rivers, collapsed hillsides, and submerged neighborhoods have turned daily life upside down for hundreds of thousands of residents.
According to the Directorate of Water Resources and Disaster Prevention and Control, Hue reported 12 fatalities while Da Nang accounted for 11, with the remainder scattered across neighboring provinces. The missing—six individuals swept away by floodwaters—are the focus of ongoing search and rescue operations, though hopes for their survival are fading as days pass.
The scale of destruction has stunned local authorities and residents alike. As reported by Tuoi Tre, more than 133,000 houses were inundated at the height of the disaster, with over 22,100 homes still underwater by the start of November. Of these, 11,500 are in Hue and 4,600 in Da Nang, underscoring the concentrated impact on these historic cities. While the number of submerged homes has dropped by over 110,000 since the peak earlier in the week, the path to recovery remains daunting.
"Floods and landslides have destroyed and washed away 91 homes and damaged 181 others," the Directorate confirmed. The damage extends far beyond residences. Nearly 4,950 hectares of rice and crops have been lost, alongside more than 800 hectares of fruit and perennial trees. Over 22,000 livestock and poultry have perished or disappeared, a blow to local farmers already grappling with the economic fallout of the disaster.
What triggered this sudden calamity? Meteorologists from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting point to a potent combination of a cold air mass, a tropical convergence zone, and persistent easterly winds. These forces converged over northern Quang Tri to southern Quang Ngai from October 25 to October 30, unleashing torrents of rain. The numbers are staggering: At Bach Ma peak in Hue, 24-hour rainfall reached 1,739 mm—ranking as the second highest globally for a single day, trailing only a site in the Indian Ocean. Five out of 12 gauging stations on major rivers in Hue and Da Nang recorded water levels surpassing historical flood marks, a testament to the extraordinary nature of this event.
As floodwaters surged, infrastructure buckled. Eighty locations on national highways across the central region remain blocked due to landslides, with 34 of these on routes managed by the Ministry of Transport. The Truong Son Dong route, a vital artery, is expected to reopen soon, but 46 sections of provincially managed highways—including 14B, 14D, and several others—remain impassable. The north-south railway, a lifeline connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, resumed operations between Hue and Da Nang on October 31, but only at reduced speeds as crews work to clear debris and repair damaged tracks.
Power outages have compounded the misery. As of November 1, some 245,000 customers were still without electricity, with Da Nang alone accounting for over 225,000 of those. Repair teams are working around the clock, but the scale of the damage means many households face days—if not weeks—without reliable power. The loss of electricity has hampered communication, disrupted water supplies, and forced businesses and schools to close their doors.
Education has not been spared. Nearly 37,000 students in Ha Tinh Province and more than 28,000 in Quang Tri Province were told to stay home as floodwaters made travel dangerous and school buildings inaccessible. The closures have added yet another layer of disruption for families already struggling to cope with the aftermath of the floods.
For those who live along the Bo, Huong, and Vu Gia - Thu Bon rivers, the receding waters brought a brief glimmer of hope as the flooded area shrank and river levels dropped to around warning level two—the second-highest alert. However, meteorologists warn that the reprieve may be short-lived. Heavy rainfall resumed on November 2, and forecasts predict that the deluge will continue from Ha Tinh to Da Nang until at least the night of November 4, with some areas bracing for an additional 700 mm of rain. As the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting cautioned, "Floodwaters in Hue and Da Nang began to recede as river levels fall on Friday, but heavy rainfall resumed on Saturday, threatening further flooding."
The agricultural toll is particularly acute in rural communities, where families depend on their harvest for both food and income. The loss of nearly 5,000 hectares of rice and crops, coupled with the deaths of thousands of livestock, leaves many facing months of hardship. Aid organizations and local officials are mobilizing to deliver food, drinking water, and essential supplies, but damaged roads and ongoing landslides have slowed relief efforts.
Scenes from the ground capture the chaos and resilience: Residents in Hue and Da Nang navigating flooded streets by boat, entire neighborhoods cut off by collapsed hillsides, and homes reduced to muddy ruins. In Hoi An ancient town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, floodwaters have lingered, threatening both the city’s cultural treasures and its tourism-dependent economy.
Despite the challenges, there are signs of progress. The number of submerged homes has sharply decreased since the disaster’s peak, and the gradual reopening of rail and road routes is restoring a sense of normalcy in some areas. Yet, for many, the trauma of the past week will not soon be forgotten. The devastation has prompted renewed calls for investment in flood defenses, improved early warning systems, and better land management practices to reduce the risk of future disasters.
Vietnam’s central region is no stranger to flooding, but the intensity and scale of this event have shocked even seasoned observers. The 1,739 mm of rain at Bach Ma peak is a stark reminder of the extreme weather patterns becoming more common in Southeast Asia, driven by a changing climate and deforestation. As communities begin the long process of rebuilding, the question lingers: How can Vietnam better protect its people and infrastructure from the next deluge?
For now, families in Hue, Da Nang, and beyond are focused on immediate needs—finding shelter, salvaging belongings, and mourning loved ones lost to the floodwaters. The road to recovery will be long, but the resilience on display offers hope that, even in the face of historic disaster, central Vietnam will endure.
