Dak Lak — Severe flooding and landslides triggered by weeks of relentless rainfall have brought widespread devastation to central and south-central Vietnam, with officials confirming at least 90 deaths and 12 people still missing as of Sunday, November 23, 2025. The disaster marks one of the deadliest weather-related events the country has faced in recent years, striking communities already vulnerable to seasonal storms and placing enormous strain on emergency services.
The extreme weather, intensified in early November by the effects of Typhoon Kalmaegi, has battered mountain villages, coastal towns, and agricultural regions across multiple provinces. Rescue workers, military units, and volunteers continue to search for missing residents, deliver emergency supplies, and restore damaged infrastructure, but access remains limited in many areas due to washed-out roads and ongoing landslide risks.
Areas Most Heavily Impacted
The latest damage reports show that the Central Highlands and south-central coastal provinces have suffered the worst effects. Neighborhoods remain underwater, hillsides have collapsed onto roads and homes, and families have been forced to evacuate in the middle of the night as flood levels rose without warning.
Dak Lak Province The Epicenter of the Tragedy
Among the affected provinces, Dak Lak has endured the highest number of casualties, with over 60 confirmed fatalities and several communities still cut off.
Key impacts include:
- Tens of thousands of homes submerged or structurally damaged
- Multiple districts reporting the highest river levels ever recorded
- Entire villages along riverbanks swallowed by fast-moving floodwaters
- Emergency teams using boats and helicopters to evacuate stranded residents
Local authorities report that rapid water flow and unstable slopes have significantly slowed search operations.
Khanh Hoa Province — Severe Flooding Along the Coast
In Khanh Hoa, home to the well-known tourist city Nha Trang, rising waters inundated entire neighborhoods and swept away bridges and local roads.
The province has confirmed 14 deaths, many due to sudden nighttime flooding that caught households off guard.
Electricity outages, blocked roads, and disrupted communications slowed emergency responses, leaving some families without help for several days.
Lam Dong Province — Deadly Landslides in the Highlands
In Lam Dong, near the tourist hub of Da Lat, heavy rains caused multiple landslides along steep mountain passes.
At least five people have died in these incidents, including travelers caught in collapsing earth and residents trapped inside hillside homes.
Authorities warn that saturated soil could trigger additional landslides, prompting the closure of several major routes connecting Da Lat with neighboring provinces.
Widespread Economic and Infrastructure Damage
Beyond the tragic loss of life, the flooding and landslides have inflicted substantial economic damage across Vietnam’s central region. Officials estimate losses of more than $340 million, though this number is expected to increase as assessments continue.
Agriculture Devastated
Agricultural losses have been particularly severe:
- Over 80,000 hectares of rice fields, fruit orchards, and cash crops destroyed
- 3.2 million livestock and poultry killed or swept away
- Major disruptions in food supply chains
Many rural families have lost their entire harvests for the season, and recovering agricultural land may take months due to soil erosion and contamination.
Infrastructure Breakdown
Key infrastructure failures have further complicated relief efforts:
- National highways blocked by landslides or submerged under deep water
- Railway lines severed in multiple locations, halting cargo and passenger transport
- Hundreds of thousands of households experiencing power cuts at the disaster’s peak
- Water systems in several districts damaged or contaminated
Road crews and railway workers have been deployed around the clock, but repairs are slow due to dangerous conditions and continued rainfall.
Communities Cut Off
Several highland villages remain isolated, with helicopters required to drop emergency food, drinking water, fuel, and medical supplies. Local officials warn that some remote areas have yet to be fully assessed due to unstable terrain and poor visibility.
Government Response and Relief Operations
Vietnamese authorities have launched a large-scale emergency operation to evacuate residents, recover missing persons, and deliver humanitarian support. The government has declared disaster zones in multiple provinces.
National Emergency Measures
Key measures include:
- Deployment of tens of thousands of military, police, and medical personnel
- Helicopter operations transporting emergency goods to isolated communities
- Swift allocation of central government emergency funds for immediate relief
- Temporary shelters set up in schools and public buildings
- Free medical clinics established in heavily affected districts
Prime Ministerial teams have been dispatched to inspect damage and coordinate with local authorities.
Local Authorities and Volunteers
Across cities and rural areas, volunteers have joined rescue teams to:
- help evacuate families
- distribute meals, blankets, and drinking water
- support cleanup operations in flooded towns
- assist with searches for missing residents
Many provinces have opened community donation centers to collect clothing, medicine, and supplies for displaced families.
International Aid Arrives
As the scale of the disaster became clear, several countries and international organizations quickly pledged support. Aid is being directed toward emergency supplies, clean water, temporary shelter, and basic household needs.
International Contributions
- United States: $1 million in emergency assistance
- South Korea: $1 million in humanitarian grants
- United Kingdom: £300,000 in additional relief funding
- New Zealand: NZD $1 million for emergency support
Relief agencies are coordinating with local authorities to distribute items including:
- water purification tablets
- hygiene kits
- essential clothing
- temporary shelter materials
- multi-purpose cash assistance for families repairing homes
Non-governmental organizations have also deployed assessment teams to the worst-hit areas to determine long-term recovery requirements.
Communities Face a Long and Difficult Recovery
As floodwaters slowly recede in some areas, attention is turning toward the long-term challenges ahead. Families who lost homes must rebuild from scratch, farmers face entire seasons of lost income, and infrastructure repairs will take months.
Health Concerns
Authorities are warning of potential outbreaks of:
- waterborne diseases
- dengue fever
- food contamination risks
Medical teams are reinforcing clinics and distributing water filters to reduce health risks.
Housing and Livelihood Crisis
With thousands of homes destroyed or badly damaged, the need for building materials, temporary shelter, and financial assistance is growing.
Farmers and small business owners may struggle to recover without targeted government and international support.
Infrastructure Reconstruction
Key priorities for the coming months include:
- restoring road and rail networks
- repairing power grids
- rebuilding schools and hospitals
- stabilizing landslide-prone slopes
Local officials emphasize that some mountain roads may take months to reopen due to the scale of damage.
Conclusion: A Region in Mourning and a Country Mobilizing to Rebuild
As Vietnam confronts the aftermath of this devastating disaster, the human toll continues to rise and the economic impact deepens. The combination of heavy rains, flooding, and landslides has tested emergency response capacities and exposed vulnerabilities in rural, mountainous, and coastal communities.
Authorities, rescue teams, and volunteers continue to work under challenging conditions to locate missing residents and support survivors. With international aid arriving and recovery efforts underway, the country faces a long road ahead but also an outpouring of solidarity from both domestic and international partners.
For now, the priority remains saving lives, restoring access to isolated communities, and helping families rebuild after one of the region’s most destructive disasters in years.
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