90 Dead in Vietnam Floods and Landslides

At least 90 people have died and 12 others remain missing in south-central Vietnam following weeks of relentless heavy rain that triggered severe flooding and landslides, authorities reported on Sunday. The disaster, which intensified since mid-November, has inundated hundreds of thousands of homes, devastated agriculture and infrastructure, and caused economic losses estimated at up to 343 million dollars across five provinces.

The mountainous province of Dak Lak has suffered the most, with 63 deaths and eight people unaccounted for since November 16. Neighboring Khanh Hoa recorded 14 fatalities and two missing, while Lam Dong reported five deaths. Other affected areas include Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and coastal regions around popular tourist destinations such as Nha Trang and Da Lat. Floodwaters began receding in some spots, but four communes in Dak Lak, including Hoa Xuan and Dong Hoa, stayed underwater, leaving hundreds of families displaced.

Residents described harrowing escapes from the rising waters. In Dak Lak, 61-year-old farmer Mach Van Si and his wife spent two nights stranded on their sheet-metal rooftop as their neighborhood was buried in mud. "Our neighbourhood was...