At least 90 dead as historic floods devastate Central Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam — Severe flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam have killed at least 90 people and left 12 others missing, the Ministry of Environment said Sunday.

Torrential rains have battered the region since late October, with some areas recording more than 1,900mm of rainfall in just the past week. Dak Lak province has been hit hardest, accounting for more than 60 of the recorded fatalities.

Emergency crews utilized boats to rescue residents trapped by the flooding as the Ba River in Dak Lak and the Cai River in Khanh Hoa province both surged to record levels.

The disaster has inundated more than 235,000 homes and damaged nearly 80,000 hectares of crops. The government estimates initial economic losses at 8.98 trillion VND ($341 million).

The recent storms add to a deadly year for the Southeast Asian nation. Between January and October, natural disasters in Vietnam have left 279 people dead or missing and caused more than $2 billion in total damages.

Catastrophic flooding across Vietnam’s south-central provinces has once again laid bare the region’s acute vulnerability to climate change, signaling a shift from isolated weather events to a systemic threat. Recent data indicates that water levels have surpassed the historic records of 1993, a clear metric that extreme weather patterns are intensifying in alignment with global climate models.

The economic toll is substantial. This single flooding episode has resulted in over $340 million in losses, contributing to an aggregate annual damage figure exceeding $2 billion. For Vietnam’s macro-economic outlook, these losses represent a significant headwind, particularly in the Central Highlands—the country’s vital coffee-growing corridor. The disruption to this key agricultural hub poses direct risks to export volumes and global supply chain stability.

While the immediate mobilization of military and police forces remains essential for emergency relief, the persistent nature of these disasters demands a pivot toward long-term adaptation. Vietnam’s current infrastructure frameworks, urban zoning regulations, and agricultural policies must now be recalibrated to account for the reality that "historic" floods are becoming annual fixtures.

The policy challenge for Hanoi has evolved. It is no longer a matter of reactive crisis management, but a strategic imperative to safeguard economic security and social stability across the central provinces. Integrated climate resilience must now be the cornerstone of regional development if the government is to mitigate the compounding fiscal impact of environmental volatility.

Large-scale natural disasters like these floods typically trigger a significant surge in remittances from the Vietnamese diaspora. Across the United States, from the bustling hubs of Little Saigon to the nail salon industry, families with relatives in the affected provinces prioritize sending money home. These funds provide a vital lifeline, offering the emergency relief needed for home repairs and long-term recovery in the wake of the flooding.