Record rainfall - unimaginable numbers
In October 2025, Hue city witnessed an unprecedented historic rainfall: Within just 36 hours, the accumulated rainfall at Bach Ma peak reached 2,272mm, 24 hours alone reached 1,085.8mm - the highest ever in Vietnam, higher than the record rainfall of 977.6mm in 1999.
These rains caused floods on the Bo River and the Huong River to exceed alert level 3, many areas in the center of Hue were flooded more than 1.5m deep. Main roads from Da Nang to Hue City were cut off; thousands of households had to evacuate at night.
In an interview with Lao Dong, according to Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Khiem - Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the main cause of the particularly heavy rain in the Central region is the combination of many weather patterns at the same time: "Low-level cold air combined with the tropical convergence zone rising from the South, along with the strong humid East wind at an altitude of 1,500-5,000m has created ideal conditions for prolonged and extreme rain. This is a typical combination of the Central region, but this time it is unusually strong and long".
From the night of October 25 to the morning of October 27, the area from South Quang Tri to Da Nang will have common rainfall of 200-400mm, with Hue and Da Nang reaching 300-500mm, some places exceeding 800mm. Not only causing flooding in the plains, the risk of landslides and flash floods in the mountainous areas of the West Central region is at the highest warning level. "No need for storms, just a convergence zone and strong easterly winds, combined with wind-blocking terrain, the Central region can still have extremely heavy rain" - Mr. Khiem emphasized.
Extreme new climate cycle
According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from now until the first half of December 2025, the area from Ha Tinh to Da Nang, Dak Lak is still likely to experience many moderate to very heavy rains. The average rainfall is 10-30% higher than many years, even 1.5 times higher in some places.
In December 2025, total rainfall in the provinces from Quang Tri to Da Nang and the East of Quang Ngai - Dak Lak is forecast to reach 250-580mm, 50-150mm higher than the average of many years. This means that the Central region will continue to face particularly heavy rains, causing a risk of flooding and serious flooding.
On the contrary, the Northern and North Central regions have a clear differentiation. Ha Tinh may still have a lot of rain (80-150mm/month), while the Northern Delta and mountainous areas in the North are lacking 10-20% of rainfall, creating a paradox: Some places are dry, some are flooded - a typical manifestation of extreme climate change.
Explaining the series of extreme phenomena from the beginning of 2025 to present, Associate Professor, Dr. Hoang Phuc Lam - Deputy Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting - said that the ENSO ( El Nino - La Nina) factor plays an important role.
Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has been in a neutral ENSO phase, gradually moving to La Nina - a state that causes the East Sea to have more storms and tropical depressions than average.
According to the Department of Hydrometeorology (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), since the beginning of the year, the East Sea has had 17 storms and tropical depressions (including 12 storms, 5 tropical depressions), much higher than the average of many years.
Associate Professor, Dr. Lam commented: The change in the subtropical high pressure is another cause, causing storms to deviate and have more heavy rain. Normally, in October, the plateau pressure will move south, leading storms to the Central region. But this year, it will remain at a position higher than 30 degrees North latitude, causing the storm to shift to the North, while prolonging the rainy areas in the Central region".
Be proactive, do not be surprised by rain and floods
Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Khiem warned: From now until the first half of December 2025, moderate and heavy rains are likely to continue to appear in the Central region, concentrated in the area from Ha Tinh to Da Nang, Khanh Hoa and the eastern areas of the provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak. From now until the end of 2025, there will be about 2-3 storms and tropical depressions active in the East Sea and about 1-2 storms affecting our country".
It is forecasted that in November 2025, total rainfall in almost all areas across the country will generally be 10 - 30% higher than the average of many years, in some places higher. In particular, the Northern region is at the same level as the average of many years.
To cope, experts recommend proactively upgrading the early warning system and expanding the network of automatic rain gauge stations in mountainous and suburban areas. Update maps of floods and landslides to the commune level, serving the population planning. At the same time, strengthen the management of reservoirs and hydropower plants to regulate safe flood discharge, avoiding natural flood peaks.
Experts also commented: We are living in an era where the line between abnormal and normal is increasingly blurred. If risk management and planning are not changed, extreme rain will not only be a story of natural disasters, but will become an urban and development crisis.
Hanoi is increasingly flooded
Previously, Hanoi was often only heavily flooded during storms or tropical depressions. But in recent 10 years, "unseasonal" rains with rainfall greater than 200-300mm in just a few hours have been appearing more often, not according to any rules.
According to experts from the Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, the phenomenon of rapid urbanization, high concrete density and global warming climate makes Hanoi a "hot spot". Although the drainage system has been renovated, it cannot keep up with the speed of terrain changes and extreme rainfall.
More worryingly, climate models predict that by 2030, the number of days of extreme rain (over 100mm/day) in Hanoi will increase by 15-20%, while the average annual rainfall will increase by only 5-7%. This shows that the rain is "clustered" for less days, but the amount of water is more intense, a very dangerous trend for large cities.
Millions of arms turn to compatriots affected by storms and floods
Consecutive storms and floods have occurred, causing many deaths, missing and injuries; many houses and production and business establishments have had their roofs blown off and suffered heavy damage. People across the northern mountainous provinces and the central provinces are struggling to cope with floods and heavy losses in human lives and property due to floods and thunderstorms.
"A piece of food when hungry is worth a package when full", with the spirit of mutual love that has always been a beautiful image of the Vietnamese people, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund calls on domestic and foreign philanthropists to join hands to share with people affected by floods to have food, clothing, shelter, students with books to go to school....
The Golden Heart Social Charity Fund would like to sincerely thank the precious feelings of agencies, businesses, and domestic and foreign philanthropists.
Please send any help to: Golden Heart Social Society Fund, No. 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Phone: 024.39232756. Account number (STK): 113000000758 at Vietinbank Hoan Kiem Branch, Hanoi. STK: 0021000303088 - at Vietcombank - Hanoi Branch, STK: 12410001122556 - at BIDV - Hoan Kiem Branch. Or scan the following QR code:
