3 dead, 16,000 homes flooded as heavy rain batters northern Vietnam

Heavy rain, floods and landslides have killed three people and inundated more than 16,000 homes in northern and central Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

As of 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 17, three people had been killed by a landslide in Da Bac Commune, Phu Tho Province. Four houses collapsed in Thanh Hoa Province, while 29 others were damaged. Another 16,310 houses were inundated, including 8,419 in Thanh Hoa, 4,787 in Ninh Binh, 2,204 in Hanoi, 749 in Nghe An and 151 in Phu Tho.

The floods also submerged and damaged 22,499 ha of rice, crops and vegetables, along with 2,172 ha of other crops. A further 1,175.62 ha of aquaculture areas were affected. Some 1,999 m of irrigation canals were eroded or damaged, while 15 schools were flooded.

Two incidents were reported on the dyke system, including erosion along a section of the left-bank of the Day River dyke in Ninh Binh and the overtopping of 1.4 km of dykes and embankments in Xuan Mai and Kieu Phu communes of Hanoi. Local authorities have mobilized forces to deal with the incidents.

Floodwaters submerge Xuan Mai Commune on Hanoi outskirts, Sept. 17, 2026. Photo by Duy Nghia

Heavy rain and landslides have also disrupted transport. Eleven landslide sites have blocked national and provincial roads, including four on National Highway 15C and three on National Highway 217. Another 30 locations have been inundated, causing traffic congestion.

The Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City railway was submerged by about 1 meter between Bim Son and Do Len, forcing passengers to be transported by road through the flooded section.

The National Steering Committee for Civil Defense has asked ministries, sectors and localities to closely monitor developments and take proactive measures against heavy rain, floods, flash floods and landslides, particularly in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Phu Tho.

Affected localities have been instructed to urgently address the aftermath, monitor river levels, enhance warnings about rapidly rising floodwaters and deep inundation, and evacuate residents from areas at risk of flooding, flash floods and landslides.

Authorities have also been asked to maintain 24-hour duty to ensure timely information and coordination in disaster response.

The meteorological agency urged local authorities to review vulnerable locations and potential flow obstructions and take timely preventive measures.