Flooding returns in Hue and Da Nang as rivers reach highest warning level

After two days of easing rain and receding flood, water levels on the Bo, Huong, and Vu Gia–Thu Bon rivers in Hue and Da Nang began rising again Sunday night, flooding residential areas in the central cities.
Heavy rain continued from southern Ha Tinh to Da Nang overnight into Monday morning. Within six hours, rainfall measured 141 mm in Quang Tri, 220 mm in Hue, and 301 mm in Da Nang.
At 8 p.m. Sunday, floodwaters on the Huong River in Hue rose 0.04 m above alarm level three, the highest. By 4 a.m. Monday, it dropped to 0.39 m below the threshold. On the Bo River, also flowing through Hue, water was 0.32 m below alarm level three on Monday morning, down 0.1 m from the previous night.
In Da Nang, by 4 a.m. Monday, water on the Vu Gia River was 0.33 m above alarm level three, up 1.72 m compared to Sunday. The Thu Bon River at Hoi An was 0.06 m above alarm level three, an increase of 0.8 m from Sunday.
The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting said from Monday morning until Wednesday, rainfall from southern Quang Tri to Da Nang is expected to reach 200–300 mm, with some areas exceeding 600 mm. Ha Tinh, northern Quang Tri, and eastern Quang Ngai may see 100–200 mm rainfall, and above 350 mm in certain places; southern Nghe An and western Quang Ngai are forecast to receive 60–120 mm, with some locations over 200 mm. Rainfall may exceed 200 mm within three hours in some areas.
On Tuesday night, 20–40 mm of rain is expected from Ha Tinh to Da Nang, with over 70 mm at some spots. From Wednesday into Thursday morning, rainfall is expected to gradually decrease.
In the next 12 hours, water levels on the Vu Gia–Thu Bon rivers will continue rising and remain above alarm level three, while the Huong and Bo rivers are expected to fluctuate below alarm level three. Over the following 12–24 hours, the Vu Gia will begin falling but stay above alarm level three, and the Huong, Bo, and Thu Bon rivers will drop below the threshold.
From now until Wednesday, rivers in Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, and Quang Ngai may rise again. Peak levels on the Ngan Sau and Ngan Pho rivers in Ha Tinh Province, the Gianh, Kien Giang, and Thach Han rivers in Quang Tri Province, and the Tra Khuc River in Quang Ngai Province may reach alarm level two or three, with some locations exceeding alarm level three.
Flooding is likely in low-lying riverbank areas, urban zones, and densely populated regions from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai. Landslides and flash floods are possible in 211 communes and wards, including 22 in Ha Tinh, 38 in Quang Tri, 21 in Hue, 60 in Da Nang, 40 in Quang Ngai, 19 in Gia Lai, and 10 in Lam Dong.
The Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention reported that as of 6 p.m. Sunday, flooding in central Vietnam had killed 36 people, left five missing, and injured 60. About 94 houses collapsed and 12,600 remained flooded. Over 7,200 hectares of crops were damaged, and 43,500 livestock and poultry perished.
Floods and landslides have caused 50 traffic blockage points on national highways. More than 11 km of canals and 20 km of riverbanks and coastlines have been eroded.