Vietnam Flood Deaths Climb as Heavy Rain Drenches Coffee Region

The death toll in Vietnam has risen to 43 following several days of severe flooding caused by relentless heavy rains across the central highlands, a crucial coffee-producing region. The government reported that around 61,000 people have been evacuated as floodwaters surged, with over half a million residents still experiencing power outages. In response, officials held an emergency meeting involving leaders from four central provinces to coordinate relief efforts and address the worsening situation. The national weather agency has issued flash flood and landslide warnings for six provinces, underscoring the threat posed by the ongoing extreme weather. The downpours have severely disrupted the coffee harvest in Dak Lak, the country's largest coffee-growing province, where some areas have recorded as much as 1,792 millimeters (70 inches) of rainfall since Sunday alone. This raises concerns over potential declines in the output of robusta beans, for which Vietnam is the world's top producer. Flooding has also devastated popular tourist spots, with entire blocks submerged in the beach resort city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province, stranding hundreds of vehicles. This follows similar flooding events in other tourism hotspots like Hue and Hoi An just weeks ago. The recent weeks have seen rainfall significantly above normal levels, with precipitation at least 270 millimeters greater than historical averages as of November 19, according to data from the US Climate Prediction Center. Meteorologists predict that above-average rainfall will continue through early December, particularly affecting the northern central coastal region. The unusual wet conditions are attributed to two key climate drivers: an active La Niña pattern and the Indian Ocean Dipole currently in a negative phase. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre's models project these above-normal rainfall trends to persist through November, December, and January across southern mainland Southeast Asia. Vietnam has faced at least 13 major storms this year, with natural disasters resulting in at least 241 deaths and causing economic damages exceeding 53.8 trillion dong (approximately $2 billion) between January and October, according to national statistics. One of the hardest-hit provinces, Khanh Hoa, recorded an extreme 800 millimeters of rain in a single day this week. Some areas remain isolated, with authorities still working to reach more than 300 households cut off by floodwaters.