Vietnam’s Hoi An to reopen to tourists within days after historic floods

The floods, described by local officials as the worst in decades, covered about 70 percent of homes in Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Vietnam.

More than 300 soldiers and local residents have been deployed to clear mud and debris from the old quarter as waters recede, said Nguyen Tan Cuong, chairman of Hoi An Ward People's Committee.

"We are cleaning and reopening streets as the water goes down," Cuong said.

Hoi An's Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation said work was under way to restore museums and historic houses. 

"Hoi An will be ready to welcome visitors again in a few days," a spokesperson said.

The floods, which followed days of heavy rain, forced tourism activities to halt in one of Vietnam's most-visited destinations.

Travel companies said many domestic and foreign tourists had contacted them to ask whether to cancel bookings.

Hoi An, about 30 km south of downtown Da Nang, experiences annual flooding but officials said this week's levels were the highest since 1964.