Heavy rain brings unseasonable floods to Vietnam by Alex Deakin
Floods brought by unseasonably heavy rains have swept through central Vietnam, leaving at least five people dead and several more missing.
During the past four days, 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 inches) of rain has fallen over the central provinces. At least 5000 homes have been submerged and the floodwaters also inundated thousands of acres of rice paddies. In the city of Quang Nam, streets were turned into torrential streams.
Vietnam is prone to heavy rain and floods as it is dominated by a tropical monsoon climate. Amounts of rainfall vary dramatically due to differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief. In the central coastal regions, the heaviest rainfall usually falls between September and December, so should be drawing to a close around this time of year.
2008 was a particularly bad year for flooding in Vietnam. In October, the capital Hanoi suffered the worst floods seen in the region for 35 years.
The heavy rain is now dying out, and the river levels are starting to fall but further heavy showers are forecast during the middle of next week.
