Flooding in Nha Trang in Vietnam's coastal province of Khanh Hoa on Nov. 22. Photographer: Duc Thao/AFP/Getty Images
Climate change is a major factor in severe droughts and substantial heavy floods in various parts of the world. As climate change continues to inflict major changes on our environment, its impact directly contributes to the frequency and severity of these floods; one country in particular, currently facing these destructive floods is the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam.
As of late October 2025, continuous rainfall has caused many floods and mudslides all throughout Vietnam; the most severely impacted areas are across Central Vietnam. Dak Lak province–where the floods are heaviest–has seen over 60 people meet their fates due to drowning. Other prevalent deaths have occurred in the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Quang Tri, and Da Nang.
According to the BBC, nearly 186,000 homes were destroyed across the entire country, “at least 90 people have died,” a dozen more are missing, and at least three million livestock were swept away. “Officials estimate there has been hundreds of millions of pounds worth of damage.” The damage inflicted on Vietnam’s land and citizens is massive, where, on top of the loss of many lives, environmental contamination proved to be a rising issue, along with agricultural wreckage and severe destruction to major infrastructures.
The floods have caused extensive damage to several roads, drainage systems, and bridges, such as the Phu Thien suspension bridge in Lam Dong province. Junior President of Malden High School’s Vietnamese Student Association, Ly Nguyen voiced, “This isn’t the first time that Central Vietnamese people have experienced this.Rebuilding isn’t easy and won’t guarantee to be like before.”
This is not the first harsh flood that Vietnam has endured this year. However, the impact this time around is worse and it’s become a countrywide climate crisis that’s unraveling faster than the nation can prepare for. According to the New York Times, “Vietnam has faced 14 typhoons this year. Five was the average a few decades ago.”
The accumulation of relentless floods influenced by consistent typhoons in Vietnam “has caused an estimated 85 trillion dong ($3.2 billion) of economic losses this year so far,” according to Bloomberg.
Sophomore Alexis Lee, who has family in Da Nang, expressed that she is mostly concerned about her family’s well-being. “A lot of their property was destroyed, and parts of their house were heavily flooded and damaged.”
The submergence of thousands of homes has also raised concerns for domestic and sanitation issues: overcrowding in insufficient evacuation centers, contaminated water, and a lack of clean water for cooking and cleaning. The accumulated rainwater flowing throughout the streets of Vietnam has made it incredibly difficult for citizens to get around. It has also resulted in rampant power outages, further reducing people’s access to resources. These issues expose residents to higher risks of getting bacterial diseases.
“I have some family in Da Nang. The last time we got in contact with them, they told us everything was destroyed. Books, photos, furniture, and vehicles were either damaged or swept away. I can’t even begin to imagine how they’re feeling,” Junior Dylan Pham from Malden Catholic explained.
Vietnam, along with many other Southeast Asian countries, is more vulnerable to floods and typhoons due to its geography, including low-lying coastal regions and extensive coastlines. As mentioned by the BBC, “scientists say that Vietnam has been left more exposed to extreme weather events by human-driven climate change,” which is the primary cause for stronger, more frequent typhoons.
Despite the overwhelming abundance of flooding and destruction, citizens remain strong and determined to help each other in this tragedy. Police and military resources are being assembled and deployed to several areas that have been severely impacted. With many roads submerged, helicopters have been stationed in multiple locations to evacuate residents and drop aid supplies, including support packages, food, and clean water. Even residents in drier areas are organizing to help however they can; metro stations are establishing collection sites in which piles of food and clothing are sent to assist those farther north and lacking resources.
The efforts of Vietnamese citizens in countering the natural crisis reflects the country’s determination and strong unity during a tremendous hardship. As they push through, the nation is hopeful in their recovery from this catastrophe.
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