Central Vietnam is reeling from a new barrage of torrential rain, flooding, and deadly landslides that have killed at least 41 people and left nine missing since the weekend. The relentless downpour, with some areas recording over 1,500 millimeters (60 inches) of rain in three days, has caused widespread destruction across six provinces, prompting a massive emergency response.
The devastation has submerged over 52,000 homes, forcing nearly 62,000 residents to be evacuated to safe ground. Rescue teams, including army and police units, have been deployed to pluck stranded individuals from the rooftops of submerged houses, with many areas experiencing water levels that have surpassed historic records.
Tourist Hubs and Coffee Belt Severely Impacted
The affected region is a vital economic and cultural area, home to Vietnam's most popular beaches and its key Robusta coffee production belt.
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Coastal Crisis: Tourist cities like Nha Trang and nearby resorts have seen whole city blocks inundated, with hundreds of cars underwater. Landslides have blocked major routes into tourist destinations like Da Lat, leading to widespread tour cancellations.
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Agricultural Disruption: The coffee-growing heartlands, especially Dak Lak province, have been severely hit. Traders warn that the floodwaters have inundated coffee plantations, significantly hampering the ongoing harvest. The continuous rain and flooding risk damaging crops, which could affect the global supply of Robusta beans.
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Infrastructure Failure: Major roads are impassable due to landslides, and a suspension bridge on the Da Nhim River in Lam Dong province was tragically swept away. At its peak, the disaster left over one million households and businesses without electricity.
🙏 At least 52 people are dead or missing as historic floods sweep central and Central Highlands of Việt Nam, submerging tens of thousands of homes and causing $113 million in damage.
— Việt Nam News (@VietnamNewsVNS) November 21, 2025
🚑Rescue forces race to evacuate residents as heavy rain is set to continue in the days ahead. pic.twitter.com/P1m36hm2yT
Rescue and Relief Efforts Intensify
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has ordered provincial leaders to mobilize all security forces for the prompt relocation of residents. State media shared images of desperate residents, including children, stranded on roofs, signaling for help. Rescuers have been using boats to reach cut-off communities, in some cases breaking through roofs to access trapped families.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that more heavy rain is expected, raising the continued threat of flash floods and additional landslides across the central coastal region and the Central Highlands.
The disaster follows a pattern of increasingly severe and frequent extreme weather events battering Vietnam, a trend that scientists link to human-driven climate change. This latest flood has compounded the $2 billion in damage already reported from natural disasters in the country between January and October this year.
