Police probe dam releases in Vietnam’s Dak Lak, where historic floods killed 113

Addressing a regular press briefing on Friday, Truong Cong Thai, vice-chairman of the Dak Lak People’s Committee, described the floods as the most destructive ever recorded in the area.

According to Thai, 101 of the 113 deaths were directly caused by flooding, while the remaining 12 occurred during the prolonged disaster under complicated conditions linked to the extreme weather.

Torrential rainfall in a short period caused floodwaters to rise rapidly, overwhelming response plans and catching many residents unprepared for the scale of the danger.

Since the floods receded, authorities have focused on disaster recovery, Thai said.

Dak Lak is implementing a nationwide campaign launched by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, prioritizing the reconstruction of homes destroyed by floods and providing seeds and livestock to help affected families resume agricultural production and stabilize their lives.

Aside from the heavy human toll, infrastructure and livelihoods suffered extensive damage.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment reported that thousands of homes were submerged, damaged, or collapsed, forcing emergency evacuations in multiple residential areas.

Transportation networks were severely disrupted, with dozens of kilometers of roads hit by landslides.

Bridges, irrigation systems, and other public works were also badly damaged.

Tens of thousands of hectares of crops were inundated and lost entirely, while large numbers of cattle and poultry were killed or swept away by floodwaters.

Total economic losses across the province are estimated at more than VND7 trillion (US$266 million).

At the press conference, reporters questioned officials about warnings, evacuations, and the operation of reservoirs during peak flooding, particularly the water releases from the Song Ba Ha hydropower plant.

Thai said reservoir operations are governed by strict regulations, but confirmed that the Ministry of Public Security is investigating whether the dam’s flood discharge showed any irregularities.

Authorities will disclose the findings publicly once the investigation is complete, the vice-chairman said.

Thai added that during the floods, the provincial civil defense steering committee updated weather conditions and discharge data and informed residents about every 30 minutes. Even so, prolonged heavy rain, widespread isolation, and fast-moving floodwaters severely hampered rescue operations.