HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Rescue operations intensified Friday across central Vietnam as floodwaters receded after days of record rain and deadly landslides that left at least 13 people dead, 11 missing and tens of thousands displaced.
The receding waters allowed rescue teams to reach previously cut-off communities and nearly 26,000 residents have been evacuated from flooded or landslide-prone areas.
The government deployed helicopters and troops to deliver food, medicine and other supplies while working to repair homes, clear debris and prevent disease. Roads, power lines and schools are being restored, and emergency rice aid is set for distribution by Saturday.
The country’s North–South railway, a key transport route linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, reopened early Friday after being cut off for three days. Hundreds of workers labored overnight to repair damaged sections and stabilize the tracks.
Flooding has eased in the coastal cities of Hue and Danang but remains widespread and is expected to persist for the next two days, according to state media. Since torrential rain began Oct. 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 is left hungry or without shelter.
About 120,000 homes were inundated by the floods across central Vietnam, with 56 houses completely destroyed and 147 badly damaged, according to disaster officials. Authorities said temporary shelters will be set up for families who lost their homes.
Vietnam’s meteorological agency said a surge of cool air from the north collided with warm, moisture-rich winds from the sea, setting off a chain of storms that have pounded central provinces for days. The winds forced rain-laden clouds up against the mountains, causing even heavier downpours.
They warned that heavy rain could continue in parts of central Vietnam through Nov. 4, with some areas expected to receive more than 700 millimeters of rain.
Central Vietnam frequently faces heavy rains and tropical storms, yet experts say the scale and intensity of this week’s floods highlight rising dangers linked to shifting rainfall patterns in a warming climate.
The country is among the most flood-prone in the world, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas.
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