Floods triggered by record levels of rainfall have inundated a large swath of central Vietnam over the past days, with the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital Hue and Hoi An the worst hit.
Photos circulating on state media showed that much of the two locations remained under flood water, with some houses submerged up to their roofs, Reuters reported.
Vietnam is prone to often deadly storms and flooding that cause widespread property damage, especially during the storm season from June until October.
In Hoi An, a well-preserved ancient town that was once a bustling Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries, floodwater began to recede Friday.
Most of the tourists have cancelled their hotel bookings for Hoi An, which last year received more than 4.4 million visitors, including nearly 3.6 million foreign tourists.
The floods have also left 11 people missing, inundated more than 116,000 houses and 5,000 hectares of crops, and damaged roads and railways, cutting off traffic and power in several areas, the government's disaster agency said in a report.
Heavy rain is forecast to continue in central Vietnam, with daily rainfall exceeding 500 millimeters in some areas from early Friday until late Saturday, according to the report.
MA/PR
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