Floods ravage Vietnam, killing at least 55, dozens missing
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Heavy rains and landslides have killed at least 55 people in Vietnam’s central provinces, left dozens missing, and displaced thousands, as authorities continue rescue operations.
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This photo, taken on November 20, 2025, shows people wading through floodwaters in Nha Trang in Vietnam's coastal province of Khanh Hoa. (AFP)
Vietnamese authorities continued rescue operations on Saturday as more than a dozen people remained missing after a week of continued flooding that has killed at least 55 across six provinces.
Relentless rain has battered south-central Vietnam since late October, inundating coastal towns and triggering deadly landslides in highland areas. Popular tourist destinations, including Nha Trang and the Da Lat region, have faced repeated rounds of flooding.
Widespread devastation
Whole city blocks were submerged in Nha Trang, while landslides struck mountain passes near Da Lat, sweeping away homes and vehicles. Mountainous Dak Lak province emerged as the hardest-hit area, with over two dozen fatalities.
VIDEO: 🇻🇳 Vietnam flooding submerges homes after relentless rain
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 21, 2025
Floods submerged homes in Gia Lai and rescuers evacuate stranded people from the streets of Khanh Hoa as widespread flooding hit central Vietnam, killing at least 41 people pic.twitter.com/45J7nrgNh7
State media reported that emergency workers continued rescuing people from treetops and the rooftops of flooded homes as waters receded. Multiple highways remain impassable, and nearly 300,000 residents are without power, down from over a million during the initial blackout.
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Human and economic toll
Vietnam’s Environment Ministry confirmed that the search continues for 13 missing individuals. Across the country, floods and other natural disasters have left 279 people dead or missing and caused more than $2 billion in damage from January to October, according to the national statistics office.
Agricultural areas and infrastructure have been heavily affected, with roads, bridges, and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed. Local authorities are urging residents in flood-prone and landslide-prone zones to remain vigilant as heavy rains continue.
Climate change and extreme weather
Although Vietnam typically experiences heavy rainfall between June and September, scientists warn that human-driven climate change is intensifying extreme weather, making floods and storms more frequent and destructive. Experts note that record-breaking rainfall in October, combined with saturated soils in mountainous regions, contributed to the severity of this week’s disaster.
Authorities have mobilized emergency teams to deliver aid, conduct rescues, and restore electricity, while local communities work to recover from one of the deadliest flooding events in recent years.
