Vietnam: Relentless rains flood 52,000 homes, death toll rises to 41

The death toll from the Vietnam rain fury has risen to 41, while authorities continue to look for nine people who are missing in the central part of the country.

Local media reports indicate that the relentless rains since last weekend have flooded over 52,000 homes, leaving half a million households and businesses without power. Whole city blocks were inundated in coastal Nha Trang, a tourist spot known for its pristine beaches, and hundreds of cars were underwater on Thursday.

In the past three days, rainfall surpassed 1.5 meters (5 feet) in several areas, with some regions experiencing levels even higher than the 1993 flood peak of 5.2 meters.

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Extreme weather has battered Vietnam in the past couple of months, with Typhoons Kalmaegi and Bualoi leaving a trail of destruction in the country. Natural disasters have cost the country $2 billion between January and October, according to government estimates.

Rescue ops on

Rescuers using boats in central Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces pried open windows and broke through roofs to assist residents stranded by high water on Wednesday, according to state media.

At least 41 people have been killed across six provinces since Sunday, while the search was continuing for nine others, the environment ministry said on Thursday.

More than 52,000 houses were flooded and nearly 62,000 people were evacuated from their homes, while several major roads remained blocked due to landslides. A million customers were left without electricity, the ministry said.

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Cancelled tours

There were also deadly landslides in highland passes around the Da Lat tourist hub, with some areas recording up to 600 millimetres (two feet) of rain since the weekend, the national weather bureau said.

Hotel owner Vu Huu Son, 56, said landslides had blocked all but one road to the city.

“I don’t think we have tourists now as they all left at the weekend before the rain and also cancelled their tours here,” he told AFP.

A 100-metre section of the Mimosa Pass roadway was blocked after a landslide late on Wednesday, and two other routes were closed due to landslide risks, state outlet Tuoi Tre News said.

With inputs from AFP