Vietnam floods leave at least 90 dead and 12 missing

At least 90 people have died and 12 others are missing after days of heavy rains in Vietnam that led to floods and landslides.

The Vietnamese government says 186,000 homes were damaged across the country, and more than three million heads of livestock were swept away. Officials estimate the damage is worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

The mountainous province of Dak Lak was severely affected, with more than 60 deaths recorded since November 16, according to Agence France-Presse.

The floods are the latest extreme weather event to hit Vietnam in recent months, following hurricanes Kalmaji and Bawaloy Hitting the country within weeks of each other.

About 258,000 people were without electricity on Sunday morning, and parts of major highways and train tracks were closed, officials said.

Army and police resources have been mobilized to provide assistance in the most affected areas.

The government said the most severe impacts were observed in five provinces – Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Dak Lac, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong – located in south and south-central Vietnam.

“Our neighborhood was completely destroyed. There was nothing left. Everything was covered in mud,” Mach Van See, a farmer in Dak Lak, told AFP.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a virtual emergency meeting on Sunday morning from South Africa, where he was attending the G20 summit.

Rainfall exceeded 1.5 meters in several areas as of Friday, and some areas exceeded a level of 5.2 meters not seen since 1993. The rain is expected to decrease in the coming days.

Scientists say Vietnam has become more vulnerable to extreme weather events due to human-induced climate change, making hurricanes stronger and more frequent.