Heavy rain from 1 PM to 11 PM caused flooding of 0.5 to 1.5 meters across the entire city of Da Nang, prompting many residents in low-lying areas to call for help, which rescue teams accessed using boats and canoes.
This was due to the influence of the circulation from Tropical Storm Son Ca, the fifth storm of the year in the East Sea, with maximum winds of 74 km/h (Category 8). Da Nang experienced intermittent rain starting in the morning. By 1 PM, when the storm was approximately 250 km away from Da Nang, the rain began to pour heavily. Roads across all six districts and Hoa Vang County were flooded, leading to traffic chaos.
Da Nang and Thua Thien Hue are deeply flooded due to Tropical Storm Son Ca. (Video: Reporter Team)
At around 8:30 PM, water levels rose to 0.5 meters at the roundabout where Tạ Quang Bửu Street meets the southern access road of the Hai Van Tunnel. Ten minutes later, flash floods surged from the Hai Van Mountain towards the southern access roads of bridges 1 and 2, blocking the tunnel entrance. Authorities had to close the Hai Van Tunnel and dispatched forces to monitor the northern entrance, disrupting traffic on National Highway 1.
By 10 PM, the rain continued to pour in Da Nang, with low-lying areas such as Khe Can in Thanh Khe District; around Hoa Khanh Industrial Park in Lien Chieu District; and several communes in Hoa Vang District seeing water entering homes at about 1 to 1.5 meters. Hundreds of residents called for assistance from authorities to evacuate women and children to safety. However, due to widespread flooding, rescue teams using boats and canoes were still unable to reach many areas.
On his way back to his lodging on Nguyen Van Linh Street, Hai Chau District, Mr. Chau Van An got stuck on Ton Duc Thang Street in Lien Chieu District since 7 PM. He and nearly ten others stood on the roof of a submerged vehicle, surrounded by darkness, with only the faint lights of cars and motorbikes visible. “Everyone’s phones are out of battery; mine has only a few percent left. I tried to contact rescue services but couldn’t. No one has eaten anything,” he said.
On various streets, drivers abandoned their cars amid the floodwaters. The Dien Bien Phu and Tran Thi Ly tunnels were flooded to about one meter, forcing their closure. Many people exited the Da Nang – Quang Ngai highway to enter the city center, only to stop because the streets Cách mạng tháng Tám and 2/9 were also deeply flooded.
Authorities, including police, military, and local volunteers, used boats and canoes to reach vulnerable areas and low-lying neighborhoods, evacuating the elderly and children from some houses in Lien Chieu and Hoa Vang Districts. On major roads, some rescue vehicles had to relocate cars to clear the drainage paths.
Residents evacuate at night on Tran Cao Van Street, Thanh Khe District. (Photo: Nguyen Dong)
Da Nang Power Company reported that they proactively cut electricity on many flooded streets. Specifically, most of Son Tra District, along the coastal road Trường Sa; parts of Hai Chau District; parts of Hoa Khanh Industrial Park; the Phuoc Ly urban area; Nguyen Nhan; and some wards in Thanh Khe District and Hoa Vang County experienced power outages. Approximately 152,000 customers were affected.
By 11 PM, the rain had lessened in Da Nang, but the water had not receded. The roads leading to the sea were flowing with strong currents. Acknowledging that many residents in low-lying areas were still stranded, Da Nang’s Chairman Le Trung Chinh directed rescue forces to quickly use vehicles to reach them.
Forecasts indicate heavy rain will continue tonight, and city leaders urged residents not to be complacent and to avoid going out unless necessary. Many areas are currently without power, and many people have run out of battery on their phones, complicating rescue efforts to reach deeper into flooded alleys.
Da Nang streets have turned into rivers, with cars submerged. (Photo: Nguyen Dong)
Reflecting on this rainfall, Mr. Tran Huynh Bao Loc, who lives at the intersection of Ha Huy Tap – Dien Bien Phu, mentioned that he has lived there for eight years but witnessed water flooding into his home to a depth of 0.8 meters for the first time. The water rose too quickly; his family tried to elevate their belongings, but it was still too late, and many items were soaked.
A parent waiting to pick up their child from school since 5 PM got stuck on Phan Dang Luu Street in Hai Chau District. “I have lived in Da Nang for 30 years and have never seen such a severe flood; the water rose quickly and deeply,” he said. He and his child had to leave their motorbike at a repair shop and take a taxi. After traveling a short distance, the water rose so high that they had to walk an additional 2 km and wait at Le Duan for the water to recede.
The southern entrance of the Hai Van Tunnel in Da Nang is inundated. (Photo: Vo Thanh)
Adjacent to Da Nang, Thua Thien Hue also experienced heavy rain. National Highway 1 at km867 through Loc Tri Commune, Phu Loc District, was flooded to over one meter deep. At 8 PM, traffic police erected barriers at Km867+200. The La Son – Tuy Loan highway is experiencing landslides at km50 and km54, and police have restricted vehicles on this route.
Prolonged heavy rain combined with water from upstream has caused many central roads in Hue City, such as Ba Trieu, Nguyen Cong Tru, To Huu; and roads in the Hue Citadel like Le Thanh Ton, Ngo Duc Ke, and Nhat Le to flood deeply. Residents waded through the water, pushing their motorcycles in the dark.
Simultaneously, in low-lying communes in Quang Dien, Phong Dien, and Phu Loc districts, floodwaters from upstream quickly inundated areas. During the night, police were on standby to assist residents and vehicles through the flooded sections. Some residents in Loc Son Commune who were stranded due to rising floodwaters were evacuated to safety.
Mr. Phan Thanh Hung, Chief of the Office of the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue in Thua Thien Hue, reported that the inflow of water into the Ta Trach, Huong Dien, and Binh Dien reservoirs was significant, at 4,000-5,000 m/s. It is forecasted that the water levels of the Huong and Bo Rivers could reach alarm level 3 (the highest level) by tomorrow morning due to continued heavy rain upstream.
Many roads in Hue City were flooded on the night of October 14th. (Photo: Vo Thanh)
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, due to the influence of a tropical depression weakened from Tropical Storm Son Ca, provinces from Quang Tri to Phu Yen and northern Central Highlands are experiencing heavy rain. Particularly, from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai, rainfall is exceptionally high. Rainfall from 7 AM to 10 PM on October 14th exceeded 500 mm in many places, such as: Thuy Yen Lake (Thua Thien Hue) 650 mm, Suoi Da (Da Nang) 720 mm, Cu Lao Cham (Quang Nam) 530 mm… This is the primary cause of flooding in Da Nang and Hue.
It is forecasted that around 4 AM tomorrow, the tropical depression will enter Da Nang – Quang Nam and continue to cause heavy rain. Total rainfall from tonight until the end of October 16th in Quang Binh is expected to be 100-250 mm; Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam 200-300 mm, with some areas exceeding 400 mm. Neighboring provinces like Quang Ngai and Kon Tum may see rainfall of 40-70 mm, with some areas exceeding 100 mm. There is a high risk of urban flooding and landslides in mountainous regions.
Mr. Nguyen Van Huong, Head of the Weather Forecasting Department at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, commented on the impact of the tropical depression.
Since Tropical Storm Noru made landfall in Da Nang – Quang Nam on September 28th, Central Vietnam has experienced three rounds of rain. The rain from the expanded circulation of Storm Noru reached Nghe An and Ha Tinh, causing flooding in 13 out of 21 districts in Nghe An and flash floods in Ky Son District. From October 9th to 12th, Central Vietnam faced another bout of rain due to the northeast monsoon, and today, rain is attributed to the tropical depression.
