Typhoon Molave smashes through central Vietnam, leaving floods and despair in its wake
- The typhoon comes amid a harsh storm season that has damaged or destroyed more than 310,000 homes, as the government prepares to evacuate 1.3 million people
- While there has been an outpouring of support, those affected are bearing the long-term toll of psychological and financial trauma from climate disasters
“We just cleaned up our home. Now another storm is coming. Storm after storm, flood after flood. I already lost a tonne of rice and 70 chickens,” she said, looking out on hectares of rice fields submerged by floodwater.
Though she has lived in the storm-ridden central province of Thua Thien Hue for decades, Lai said she had never seen a storm season as destructive as this. In October alone, Vietnam has endured four storms, a tropical depression and widespread flooding, with at least 130 lives lost and many missing.
02:20
More than 100 killed, 22 missing in Vietnam’s floods
More than 310,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the floods, according to the Red Cross, while the government on Monday said it was readying to evacuate 1.3 million people from risky areas to schools and government buildings. In several affected provinces, schools have been shut down and citizens have been advised not to go outside. Grab, one of the most popular ride-hailing platforms in Vietnam, even suspended their delivery, motorcycle and car services on Tuesday night until further notice in seven provinces affected by the storm.
