{
  "id": 8183974,
  "title": "Torrential rain in Vietnam leaves 3 dead, 16,000 homes flooded",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/torrential-rain-in-vietnam-leaves-3-dead-16-000-homes-flooded",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T05:46:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3367958/torrential-rain-vietnam-leaves-3-dead-16000-homes-flooded"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Torrential rains in northern Vietnam have resulted in three deaths and extensive property damage, including flooding of over 16,000 homes and damage to more than 22,000 hectares of crops. The intense downpours began on Monday and have continued in some areas, with rainfall reaching up to 653mm (26 inches). Nationwide, 11 landslides and 30 instances of flooding have disrupted national and provincial roads, causing traffic delays. The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City railway was submerged by approximately one meter of water, prompting the suspension of several train services on Thursday and Friday.\n\nFurther heavy rain is anticipated in the coming days, particularly in the Thanh Hoa province and the city of Hue, with some areas potentially receiving over 100mm of rainfall. In response, authorities have mobilized more than 29,000 officials and soldiers in Thanh Hoa to provide emergency aid. In Hanoi, schools have either transitioned to online classes or granted students the day off, as streets became inundated with up to one meter of floodwaters, leading to significant traffic congestion.\n\nVietnam's geographical vulnerability to storms originating from the South China Sea, combined with the effects of climate change and deforestation, heightens the nation's susceptibility to severe weather damage. Forecasts indicate that as many as five more storms may impact Vietnam's coastline throughout the remainder of the year, potentially causing widespread destruction. Since the beginning of the year, natural disasters in Vietnam have resulted in 63 fatalities or missing persons, leading to total losses of approximately 2.2 trillion dong (US$84.6 million). Financial damages this year have decreased by 84.9 percent when compared to the same period in 2020, when the country faced severe typhoons and flooding.\n\nEarlier this year, Tropical Storm Wipha brought heavy rain and flooding in July, followed by additional flooding and landslides in August due to Tropical Storm Kajiki. Typhoon Bualoi claimed at least 26 lives in September, while the historic cities of Hue and Hoi An, along with much of the north, experienced flooding in October. Meanwhile, the anticipated El Niño phenomenon may result in a 10 to 50 percent reduction in rainfall for central and southern Vietnam later this year, potentially affecting around 350,000 hectares of rice crops in the Mekong Delta. Water shortages are also expected in the central highlands, which are the primary coffee growing region in the country.",
  "summary": "Heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides across northern Vietnam, killing three people and damaging thousands of homes as well as more than 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) of crops. The northern region has experienced downpours since Monday, with some areas receiving as much as 653mm (26 inches) of rain, according to a statement on the government’s website. More than 16,000 houses have been…",
  "key_points": [
    "Three people died in torrential rains in northern Vietnam.",
    "Over 16,000 homes flooded, 22,000 hectares of crops damaged.",
    "More heavy rain expected, with potential 10-50% rainfall reduction due to El Niño."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The latest flooding compounds Vietnam's growing toll from natural disasters this year, which has already claimed 63 lives and $84.6 million in losses, and may foreshadow more severe weather to come.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "VnExpress International",
        "title": "3 dead, 16,000 homes flooded as heavy rain batters northern Vietnam",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/3-dead-16-000-homes-flooded-as-heavy-rain-batters-northern-vietnam",
        "published": "2026-09-18T02:47:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}