Torrential rains that have been battering Vietnam since late October have caused massive flooding , killing at least 90 people in a single week, according to a new official toll released on Sunday. Twelve people are still missing.

The previous report, dated Saturday, stated 55 victims.

The central and southern regions were particularly affected.

1. Dak Lak, an epicenter of the crisis : More than 60 of the 90 deaths recorded since November 16 have occurred in the mountainous province of Dak Lak (central Vietnam). Tens of thousands of homes there have been submerged, according to the Ministry of Environment.
2. Tourist areas affected : The south and center of the country are experiencing incessant rainfall. Tourist destinations and historical sites are underwater. Last week, entire neighborhoods of the coastal city of Nha Trang (south) were submerged. Around Da Lat (south), landslides struck hilly areas popular with vacationers.

Infrastructure and economic damage

The consequences for infrastructure are significant:

1. Transport disrupted : On Sunday, several sections of highways and some sections of railways remained impassable due to flooding or landslides.
2. Power cuts : While up to one million people were without electricity last week, more than 129,000 users were still without power on Sunday.

The Ministry of the Environment estimates the economic losses in five provinces at around 300 million euros .

Extreme weather events are on the rise

Vietnam typically experiences heavy rainfall between June and September. However, scientists point to human-caused climate change , which is making extreme weather events (such as torrential rains) more frequent, deadly, and destructive .

Experts warn : For every additional degree of warming, the atmosphere can retain 7% more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall.

These floods come at a time of an already difficult year for the country:

1. Heavy annual toll : Between January and October, natural disasters caused 279 deaths or disappearances and more than $2 billion (€1.7 billion) in damages, according to official figures.
2. Successive typhoons : In early October, the north had already been hit by typhoons Bualoi and Matmo. In early November, Kalmaegi also swept through the territory, causing casualties.
3. Record rainfall : At the end of October, the city of Hue (central), renowned for its ancient imperial city, broke the national rainfall record dating from 1999, registering up to 1.7 meters of rain in 24 hours .