Tens of thousands of homes in Vietnam’s Dak Lak submerged in worst flooding in over 30 years

As the water levels continue to rise, social media has become inundated with urgent pleas for rescue from families trapped in isolated pockets of floodwaters.

Chairman of the Dak Lak People’s Committee Ta Anh Tuan reported that the water level on the Ba River rose above alarm level 3, surpassing the historic 1993 flood peak of 5.21 meters.

The deluge caused deep, widespread flooding, particularly in Dong Xuan and Tuy An Bac Communes, where entire communities were cut off.

Swift currents made rescue operations extremely difficult.

In addition, prolonged heavy rain forced hydropower and irrigation reservoirs to release water.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Ba Ha hydropower plant increased its discharge to 16,100 cubic meters per second, one of the highest flood release volumes ever recorded in Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung arrived on the ground for an emergency meeting with Dak Lak authorities on Wednesday.

Stressing the urgency of the situation, he repeatedly emphasized, “Every hour, every minute is precious, so we must save the people at all costs.”

He ordered maximum deployment of rescue forces, prioritizing civilian safety and aiming to evacuate all stranded residents by Wednesday night.

Police were instructed to secure dangerous areas, block access to deeply flooded or landslide-prone zones, and prevent residents from risking their lives.

Authorities were committed to ensuring sufficient food, drinking water, and especially emergency rations for evacuees.

Around 2,000 households totaling 5,621 people have been evacuated

On Wednesday, swollen rivers transformed low-lying areas in the province into dangerous torrents, isolating villages and disabling key transport routes.

National Highway 29 was nearly paralyzed, with 13 sections between Duc Binh Dong and Duc Binh Tay flooded 30 to 60 centimeters deep, forcing motorbikes and cars to halt.

Central localities on high alert for landslides

Heavy rain increased landslide threats in mountainous areas across Da Nang City, Quang Ngai Province, and Hue City in central Vietnam.

Coastal erosion worsened as waves and run-off battered already weakened shorelines.

Before dawn on Wednesday, 500 soldiers were mobilized to reinforce the An Luong embankment in Duy Nghia Commune, Da Nang City, part of a riverbank stretch that has suffered repeated collapses for nearly a month.

Local authorities explained that hundreds of riverside homes had long relied on concrete embankments for protection, but persistent rainfall and upstream floods since late October triggered ongoing erosion.

National Highway 14D experienced multiple severe landslides, with massive amounts of soil and rock blocking access.

Military and police forces stood guard at damaged road sections, keeping residents away from high-risk areas while warning signs were erected across mountain villages.

Similarly, Quang Ngai faced an overwhelming number of landslides, but authorities vowed that wherever landslides occur, roads must be reopened as quickly as possible.

National Highway 24 suffered continuous landslide damage, so maintenance teams worked through the night on Wednesday to restore traffic.

Several provincial roads, including 623 and DDH83, also saw new landslides emerge almost hourly.

Excavators and bulldozers operated at full capacity to clear debris.

In Hue City, recovery operations intensified as rains continued.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 700 homes in the city had remained flooded 20 to 30 centimeters deep, especially in Quang Dien Commune, Huong Tra Ward, and Phong Dinh Ward.

The municipal administration directed rescue units to continue assessing damage, helping residents clean up homes, ensuring food supplies, and securing boats and fishing vessels as unstable weather persisted.