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Rescue operations intensified Friday across central Vietnam as floodwaters receded after days of record rainfall and deadly landslides that have left at least 13 people dead, 11 missing and thousands displaced.
Receding waters allowed rescue teams to reach previously cut off communities and about 26,000 residents have been evacuated from flood or landslide-prone areas.
The government deployed helicopters and troops to deliver food, medicine and other supplies while repairing homes, clearing debris and working to contain the disease. Roads, power lines and schools are being restored, and emergency rice aid is scheduled for distribution by Saturday.
The North-South Railway of the country is a major transport route. hanoi And ho chi minh cityIt was reopened early Friday morning after being closed for three days. Hundreds of workers worked through the night to repair damaged sections and stabilize the tracks.
Flooding in the coastal cities of Hue and Danang has subsided but remains widespread and is expected to continue for the next two days, according to state media. Since torrential rains began on October 26, floods and landslides have submerged homes and villages and destroyed infrastructure across the region.
Hue recorded 1,085 millimeters (42 inches) of rain in just 24 hours earlier this week – the highest daily rainfall ever measured in Vietnam.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered emergency measures to speed recovery and ensure no one goes hungry or without shelter.
According to disaster officials, flooding in central Vietnam submerged approximately 120,000 homes, including 56 that were completely destroyed and 147 badly damaged. Officials said temporary shelters would be set up for families who lost their homes.
Vietnam’s meteorological agency said a blast of cold air from the north collided with warm, moisture-laden winds coming from the sea, triggering a series of storms that hit central provinces for several days. The winds forced rain-laden clouds higher into the mountains, causing even heavier rainfall.
He warned that heavy rains could continue in parts of central Vietnam until November 4, with some areas expected to receive more than 700 millimeters of rain.
Central Vietnam often faces heavy rainfall and tropical storms, yet experts say the scale and intensity of this week’s flooding highlights the growing risks associated with changing rainfall patterns in a warming climate.
The country is one of the most flood-prone in the world, with almost half of its population living in high-risk areas.
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