4 killed, 4 missing due to unseasonal floods in central Vietnam

According to Quang Tri Province's steering committee for natural disaster prevention and search and rescue, extremely heavy rainfall hit the province over the past 24 hours, with some areas recording extraordinary levels—401.6mm in Huong Son and 407.6mm in Lao Bao.

Local residents described the flooding as highly abnormal.

“Never in my life have I seen flooding in June,” said Nguyen Thi Mai from Quang Tri’s Hai Lang District.

Tran Thanh Loc, a 60-year-old resident of Lao Bao town in Quang Tri’s Huong Hoa District, said he had not witnessed such a mid-June flood in over five decades of living in the area.

Floodwaters in the upstream rivers have peaked and are receding slowly but have already caused serious loss of life and damage.

In Quang Tri, two deaths have been confirmed.

Ho Viet Kinh, 71, of Trieu Phong District, was electrocuted while preparing for the storm. Strong winds caused a power line to snap and fall into the floodwaters.

Another victim was a seven-year-old child with disabilities, H.N.T.P., who drowned near their home in Hai Lang District.

In addition, a man in Lao Bao town was hospitalized with a fractured kneecap after falling while moving belongings to safety.

Floods have submerged over 21,190 hectares of rice fields and more than 3,700 hectares of vegetables.

Freshwater aquaculture farms have also been severely hit, with 745 hectares of ponds damaged.

Authorities evacuated 653 households, totaling 2,405 people, to safer areas.

An estimated 2,000 homes remain under nearly one meter of water.

Local authorities are monitoring the situation closely and providing support to flood-hit residents.

In Hue City, a tragic drowning incident was confirmed by Dang Van Hoa, chief of office for the city's disaster prevention and search and rescue committee.

Two brothers, aged 22 and 24, from Phu Loc District drowned while setting fish traps in a lagoon.

Their boat overturned as floodwaters surged rapidly through the area.

Earlier on Friday morning, six people were promptly rescued after their boat capsized while crossing a swollen stream in Hue’s Huong Tra Town.

In Quang Binh Province, four people were reported missing due to flooding, with search and rescue operations underway.