United News of Bangladesh

Heavy rain triggered flooding across parts of northern Vietnam on Thursday, inundating homes, disrupting travel and pushing several rivers above dangerous levels, authorities and state media reported. Rain has fallen across northern and north-central parts of the country throughout the week, with some areas receiving more than 50 centimeters (19.7 inches), according to the disaster prevention department. More than 2,000 homes have been flooded, while key transport routes have been blocked and more than 1,000 households have been cut off. Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces, which cover both lowland and hilly areas south of Hanoi, have been among the worst affected. Vietnam is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries and frequently experiences flooding. A series of major storms last year prompted the government to explore new ways to prepare for and manage floods. In Thanh Hoa, authorities asked students to stay home because flooding had made travel unsafe, state media reported. Floodwaters have submerged or damaged about 10,014 hectares (24,745 acres) of rice fields and other crops, with the biggest losses reported in Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces. Thousands of livestock and poultry have also died. “The flood happens every year,” Ninh Binh resident Tran Ngoc Tai told national broadcaster VTV, adding that residents had prepared food and drinking water. Hanoi streets floodedSeveral streets in Hanoi were deeply flooded Thursday morning, with water reaching nearly a meter (3.2 feet) in some areas. The flooding disrupted traffic and made it difficult for residents to travel to work, take children to school or leave their homes. Some areas received more than 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) of rain from Wednesday night through Thursday morning, state media said. Many high schools and universities in Hanoi remained closed or moved classes online Thursday afternoon as widespread flooding continued. Rising water levels in the Bui River on Hanoi’s southwestern outskirts also threatened nearby homes. Authorities deployed hundreds of soldiers to help residents move their belongings to higher ground, state media reported. More rain forecast for southern VietnamA cold air mass moving south is expected to bring five days of heavy rain to southern Vietnam, including flood-prone Ho Chi Minh City, starting Thursday, according to the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center. Forecasters expect widespread rainfall through Sept. 21 and authorities have warned of possible flooding in low-lying areas and along waterways. Ho Chi Minh City is expected to receive 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) of rain, with some areas receiving even more. Vietnam experienced several major floods in 2025. Tropical Storm Wipha brought heavy rain and flooding in July, followed by further flooding and landslides in August when Tropical Storm Kajiki hit the country. Typhoon Bualoi killed at least 26 people in September. In October, the historic central cities of Hue and Hoi An were flooded, along with large parts of northern Vietnam.