Hanoi has been hit by widespread flooding for the second time in 2 weeks as the remnants of Typhoon Matmo dumped torrential rain across the city and central and northern Vietnam. saturating the soil and causing river levels to rise rapidly. Two rivers surged past their highest alert levels with some areas recording over 200 mm of rain.
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Recent reports from Vietnam paint a grim 0:08 picture of widespread destruction caused 0:10 by relentless storms and flooding, 0:12 particularly in the northern and central 0:14 regions. The latest disaster exacerbated 0:17 by Typhoon Matmo has left a trail of 0:20 devastation claiming lives and causing 0:22 extensive damage to homes, 0:24 infrastructure, and agriculture. 0:29 The flooding follows a succession of 0:31 devastating storms. Typhoon Matmo, the 0:34 latest in a series of severe weather 0:36 events, compounded the damage already 0:39 inflicted by previous typhoons such as 0:41 Gualoy and Regasa. 0:45 Typhoon Matmo brought intense and 0:47 prolonged heavy rains across northern 0:49 and north central Vietnam, saturating 0:51 the soil and causing river levels to 0:53 rise rapidly. The CA and Fang rivers, 0:56 for example, surged past their highest 0:59 alert levels with some areas recording 1:01 over 200 mm of rain. 1:06 At least 15 people have been confirmed 1:08 dead and eight others injured across the 1:10 affected regions as of October 10th, 1:12 2025. Thousands of residents have been 1:15 evacuated and vital infrastructure has 1:18 been severely damaged. As of October 1:20 8th, nearly 17,000 houses were flooded 1:24 and 710 were completely destroyed. 1:29 The agricultural sector has suffered 1:30 immense setbacks with almost 22,600 1:34 hectares of rice and crops inundated and 1:37 damaged. Hundreds of thousands of 1:39 livestock and poultry were also killed. 1:43 Widespread flooding and landslides 1:45 blocked numerous road sections, 1:48 disrupting traffic and hampering relief 1:50 efforts. Power outages affected nearly 1:53 181,000 households. 1:57 A significant number of vulnerable 1:59 people, including children, have lost 2:01 access to safe drinking water, 2:04 sanitation, and education, raising the 2:06 risk of disease outbreaks. 2:10 The Vietnamese government has mobilized 2:12 a massive response effort and appealed 2:14 for international assistance. Prime 2:17 Minister Fam Minchin has directed 2:19 ministries to step up rescue and relief 2:21 operations, deploying emergency teams 2:24 and placing rescue forces on 2:25 roundthe-clock duty. 2:29 A 140 billion VND, approximately $5.3 2:33 million emergency aid package was 2:36 approved to assist the affected 2:38 provinces. Authorities have urged 2:40 residents in high-risk zones to move to 2:42 safer ground and issued urgent warnings 2:44 as evacuation operations continue. 2:49 The government is coordinating with 2:51 international organizations to ensure 2:53 the swift distribution of essential 2:55 supplies. The recent floods underscore 2:57 Vietnam's vulnerability to climate 2:59 change with increasingly frequent and 3:02 intense storms battering the nation. 3:06 Experts note that warmer ocean waters 3:08 fueled by global warming are 3:10 intensifying tropical storms leading to 3:13 heavier rainfall and more severe 3:14 flooding. This necessitates a long-term 3:17 strategy for building climate 3:19 resilience. 3:22 Priorities include repairing and 3:24 restoring critical infrastructure such 3:26 as dikes and irrigation systems and 3:29 strengthening flood protection. The 3:31 government also seeks international 3:32 support for reconstruction, focusing on 3:35 repairing damaged houses, schools, and 3:38 health clinics. 3:41 Meanwhile, Hanoi has been hit by 3:43 widespread flooding for the second time 3:45 in 2 weeks as the remnants of Typhoon 3:48 Matmo dumped torrential rain across the 3:50 city and northern Vietnam. The severe 3:52 weather has brought the capital to a 3:54 near standstill, flooding major roads 3:57 and overwhelming the urban drainage 3:58 system. 4:01 The most recent deluges, which occurred 4:03 on October 7th and 8th, followed closely 4:06 on the heels of Typhoon Gualo, which 4:09 struck northern Vietnam a week earlier. 4:13 The back-to-back storms have left city 4:15 infrastructure heavily impacted and 4:17 residents struggling to cope. On October 4:20 7th, prolonged downpours saw several 4:22 areas in Hanoi receive up to 350 mm of 4:26 rainfall, leading to widespread flooding 4:29 in over 90 locations across the city. 4:33 The repeated inundation has caused 4:35 significant disruption to daily life. 4:38 Residents have been forced to wade 4:40 through calf deep water on major roads 4:42 with many motorbikes and cars becoming 4:44 stranded. Traffic has come to a halt in 4:47 several areas with vehicles queuing for 4:49 extended periods as they attempt to 4:51 navigate the floodwaters. 4:55 On October 7th, areas like Maidike 4:58 intersection and Tang Long Boulevard 5:00 were heavily impacted with parts of the 5:02 ladder resembling a river. Residents 5:05 resorted to pushing their motorbikes or 5:07 using makeshift boats to transport goods 5:10 through flooded streets. 5:13 Schools across the capital either closed 5:15 their doors or switched to online 5:17 learning to ensure the safety of 5:19 students. 5:22 Several flights at Noi by International 5:24 Airport have been delayed or rescheduled 5:26 due to the adverse weather conditions. 5:30 In some residential areas, flood waters 5:33 have breached floodproof doors, entering 5:35 homes and forcing residents to pump 5:37 water out. 5:42 In response, Hanoi authorities have been 5:45 operating pumping stations at maximum 5:47 capacity to drain water. However, the 5:50 city's aging drainage system has 5:52 struggled to handle the extreme volume 5:53 of rainfall, a problem exacerbated by 5:56 urbanization. 5:59 Prime Minister Fam Mchin held a meeting 6:02 on October 9th to review the recovery 6:04 efforts following Typhoon Matmo. The 6:07 government is assessing the full extent 6:08 of the damage and coordinating with 6:11 international partners for assistance. 6:15 Experts warn that climate change is 6:17 fueling more frequent and intense 6:18 storms, meaning Hanoi must build 6:21 long-term climate resilience to protect 6:23 its vulnerable communities. 6:27 Meanwhile, Tyanguin province in northern 6:29 Vietnam was hit by historic flash floods 6:32 caused by unprecedented flooding of the 6:34 K River following heavy rainfall from 6:36 Typhoon Matmo. This disaster, which 6:39 occurred just weeks after Typhoon Gualo, 6:41 caused widespread destruction, claimed 6:44 lives, submerged tens of thousands of 6:46 homes, and crippled infrastructure 6:48 across the region. 6:52 Between October 6th and 7th, 2025, 6:55 Typhoon Matmo triggered record-breaking 6:57 heavy rainfall with some areas of 7:00 Tyanguin recording up to 500 mm of 7:02 rainfall. The incessant rain caused the 7:05 water level in the Co River to rise 7:07 rapidly. On October 8th, the Gia Bay 7:10 station recorded a water level of 29.9 7:13 m, 2.9 m above warning level 3, 7:17 extremely dangerous and surpassing the 7:19 previous record high flood level set in 7:21 2024. 7:25 Initial reports confirmed at least four 7:27 people were killed, two missing, and two 7:29 others injured across the province. Home 7:32 damage. More than 5,450 7:35 homes were damaged or inundated with 7:38 approximately 490 families undergoing 7:40 emergency evacuation. In some areas of 7:43 Tyanguin City, flood waters reached the 7:46 roofs of houses and cars, trapping many 7:48 residents inside. 7:52 Communication and power outages. Power 7:55 outages and communication disruptions 7:57 affected many areas, hampering rescue 7:59 and relief efforts. Landslides. 8:02 Highly saturated soil conditions also 8:04 triggered landslides, threatening 8:06 residents safety and damaging roads and 8:09 buildings. 8:12 Tiny wind's agricultural sector, a 8:14 center for tea and other crops suffered 8:17 significant losses. More than 4,400 8:20 hectares of rice patties and farmland 8:22 were inundated while more than 58,000 8:25 livestock and poultry were killed or 8:27 swept away by the floods. This damage is 8:29 expected to cause significant economic 8:31 losses and impact the livelihoods of 8:34 thousands of families. 8:37 The flooding in Tyanguin highlights 8:39 Vietnam's vulnerability to climate 8:41 change. Experts warned that more 8:43 frequent and intense storms will 8:45 continue to hit the region in the 8:47 future. 8:49 Infrastructure needs strengthening. As 8:52 part of the reconstruction effort, the 8:54 government has pledged to improve flood 8:56 control infrastructure, including 8:58 strengthening the embankments along the 9:00 Coal River. 9:03 Early warning. Efforts to improve early 9:05 warning systems are crucial to ensure 9:07 effective evacuation and rapid response 9:10 to future natural disasters. As recovery 9:12 efforts continue, Tanguin faces a long 9:15 and difficult road to recovery. 9:19 This disaster serves as a poignant 9:21 reminder of the urgent need to develop 9:24 robust climate adaptation strategies to 9:26 protect vulnerable communities. 9:31 Seement itu, the ancient city of Hoyen, 9:35 a UNESCO world heritage site known for 9:37 its historic charm, has once again been 9:40 grappling with its perennial adversary, 9:42 flooding, driven by the confluence of 9:44 heavy monsoon rains, high tides, and 9:47 increased discharge from upstream 9:49 hydroelectric dams. Large parts of the 9:52 city have been submerged, disrupting the 9:54 lives of local residents and the 9:56 bustling tourism industry. 10:00 While floods are a familiar feature of 10:02 Hoyen and's rainy season, the increasing 10:04 intensity and unpredictability of these 10:06 events highlight the growing risks posed 10:09 by climate change. 10:12 Hoy's unique geography makes it 10:14 particularly vulnerable to flooding. 10:17 Situated on a coastal plane at the 10:19 estuary of the Thursday Bon River Basin, 10:21 the city is affected by a combination of 10:23 factors. 10:26 From October to December, Hoyen 10:29 experiences its annual rainy season, 10:31 which often brings heavy and prolonged 10:33 downpours. The recent extreme weather 10:36 patterns have seen rainfall reach 10:37 exceptional levels, overwhelming the 10:40 city's natural and engineered drainage 10:42 systems. 10:45 Adding to the problem, sudden and 10:47 large-scale water releases from 10:48 hydropower reservoirs located upstream 10:50 in Kang Nam Province often exacerbate 10:53 the flooding downstream in Hoyen. 10:57 the low-lying coastal areas of Hoy and 10:59 are regularly affected by high tides and 11:01 storm surges, especially during powerful 11:04 storms. When these surges coincide with 11:06 heavy rainfall, the ability of rivers to 11:09 drain into the sea is severely hampered, 11:12 causing water to back up and flood 11:13 inland areas. 11:17 The impact of the flooding has been 11:18 significant, affecting not only daily 11:21 life, but also the cultural heritage of 11:23 the city. The historic streets along the 11:26 Harai River, including Bakdang Street 11:29 are among the first to be inundated. 11:33 Local shops and restaurants, which are 11:35 the lifeblood of Hoyen's economy, have 11:38 been forced to close temporarily. Boats, 11:41 traditionally used for tourism, have 11:43 been repurposed to navigate the flooded 11:45 streets, fing locals and tourists who 11:48 are often left stranded. 11:51 The historic wooden buildings, which 11:53 date back to the 18th century, are 11:55 particularly susceptible to long-term 11:57 damage from prolonged exposure to flood 11:59 waters. The repeated cycle of flooding 12:02 poses a significant threat to the 12:04 preservation of these cultural 12:05 treasures. 12:08 Many local residents, especially those 12:11 living in low-lying areas, face the 12:14 annual ordeal of having their homes 12:15 submerged. While many have adapted by 12:18 building elevated structures and taking 12:20 precautionary measures, the increasing 12:22 frequency and severity of floods are 12:24 testing their resilience. 12:28 Local authorities and the community have 12:30 mobilized a coordinated response to the 12:32 recurring floods. The National Center 12:35 for Hydrometeorological Forecasting 12:37 issues regular bulletins to provide 12:39 early warnings and forecasts, helping 12:41 minimize human and material losses. 12:44 However, the unpredictable nature of 12:46 extreme weather events remains a 12:48 challenge. 12:51 Hoy and residents have developed 12:53 remarkable resilience over generations. 12:56 They are accustomed to the floods and 12:58 have developed coping mechanisms such as 13:00 moving valuable belongings to higher 13:02 floors and using wooden planks to create 13:04 elevated walkways. 13:08 The United Nations Development Program 13:10 and other international partners have 13:12 been working with the Vietnamese 13:13 government to improve the resilience of 13:15 vulnerable coastal communities. 13:17 Initiatives include building flood 13:19 resistant homes, restoring vital 13:21 mangrove ecosystems, and enhancing 13:23 access to climate data and disaster 13:25 preparedness tools.
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Related Mainstream News story:
CLIMATEWIRE | Vietnam’s capital was brought to a standstill for the second time in two weeks after Storm Matmo dumped prolonged, heavy rains across Hanoi.
Flash-flood warnings were also issued by the national weather agency across 13 provinces including Thanh Hoa, Haiphong and Bac Ninh, which is a key manufacturing hub for global electronics suppliers making products for companies like Apple and Samsung Electronics. The storm comes a week after Typhoon Bualoi tore through northern Vietnam, leaving at least 56 people dead.
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