Floods hit Vietnam again, killing at least 8, hindering coffee harvest

HANOI – A new round of floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain in central Vietnam since the weekend of Nov 15 and 16 has killed at least eight people, said a government report on Nov 19, with traders also warning that it could hamper the ongoing coffee harvest.

From the night of Nov 15, rainfall has exceeded 1,100mm in several parts of central Vietnam.

The region is home to a key coffee production belt and the country’s most popular beaches, but it is highly prone to storms and floods.

The deaths include those of six bus passengers killed in a landslide on the evening of Nov 16 en route from Da Lat to Nha Trang, the government said in the report.

Seven people remain missing, including three buried under a landslide in Danang.

“Some coffee farms in low-lying areas of Dak Lak are deep in flood water,” a coffee trader based in the province said.

Heavy rain is continuing there, slowing down the harvest, another Dak Lak-based trader said.

“Farmers in the province have picked 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the beans and they need sunlight to dry them,” the trader added.

Photos published by state media outlets on Nov 19 showed homes in several villages in central Vietnam flooded to the roof as stranded residents called for help.

Hundreds of families were evacuated overnight from their flooded homes, Vietnam News Agency reported.

In nearby Gia Lai province, schools were also forced to close on Nov 19, affecting 26,000 students.

In the Unesco-listed ancient town of Hoi An, which was still cleaning up the damage done by a previous round of floods two weeks ago, waters are rising again.

Photos in the media show tourists and residents moving through the streets of Hoi An on boats, passing inundated cafes and centuries-old wooden houses.

The national weather forecast agency warned of more flooding and landslides on Nov 19, with heavy rain set to continue in the region. REUTERS