Record rainfall causes flash floods in Vietnam: 9 dead, 5 missing

Record rainfall has caused flash floods in central Vietnam, killing at least 9 people and leaving 5 missing, the government said on Wednesday.

The government said six of the dead were in the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An, two popular tourist destinations. The disaster management agency said more than 13,000 homes have been flooded, mostly in the provinces of Hue and Hoi An.

Vietnam's rainy season runs from June to October. Every year, heavy rains and floods cause deaths and extensive damage. The agency said heavy rains are still continuing in the UNESCO-listed cities of Hue and Hoi An.

The total rainfall in the past 24 hours has exceeded 1,000 millimeters, the highest on record, as of Monday night. Pictures published by state media showed large parts of the city of Hoi An submerged, with many houses submerged up to their roofs.

The disaster management agency said landslides had blocked roads and cut off power in several areas. Train services between the capital Hanoi and the commercial city of Ho Chi Minh City were also suspended on Tuesday.

The government's weather forecasting agency said heavy rains would continue in central Vietnam for the next two days. Some areas are expected to receive more than 400 millimeters of rain from Wednesday morning to Thursday night.