Massive agricultural loss in Central Highlands and central coast due to heavy rainfall

Widespread destruction after torrential rains

A period of heavy rain, from November 16 until noon on November 23, inflicted exceptionally severe damage to agricultural production across the provinces of the Southern Central Coast and the Central Highlands.

According to a report from the VDDMA, the hardest-hit areas are primarily Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong. These are key agricultural production zones where extensive areas of rice, crops, and industrial plants were rapidly submerged, buried, or washed away.

As of 11:30 a.m. on November 23, the total damaged area for rice and annual crops reached 80,884 hectares. Dak Lak alone accounted for approximately 63,000 hectares of affected land, mainly in the districts of Cu M’gar, Krong Buk, Krong Pak, and the Krong Ana area, where large sections of upland rice and riverside crops were submerged in water 1-2 meters deep.

In addition to short-term crops, approximately 117,067 hectares of perennial crops were also impacted. Many coffee, durian, and pepper plantations in Dak Lak and Lam Dong experienced prolonged deep flooding, with soil erosion increasing the risk of plant collapse. In Lam Dong, the Bao Loc and Di Linh areas reported thousands of coffee trees with washed-out roots, raising significant concerns about reduced yields for the next season.

The livestock sector faced record damage, with 3,234,753 head of cattle and poultry killed or swept away. Dak Lak accounted for 3.2 million animals, mainly on small-scale chicken, duck, and pig farms in areas such as Cu M’gar, Krong Ana, and Buon Don.

In Dak Lak, thousands of tons of fish from ponds and cages on the Serepok and Krong Ana rivers were submerged, leading to mass die-offs or fish being carried away by the currents. The estimated loss is tens of billions of Vietnamese Dong. Farmers are urgently cleaning up ponds and cages and disposing of dead fish to prevent water pollution and prepare for the next breeding season.

The Phu Yen area (former province) saw more critical impacts on aquaculture, particularly on cage-raised lobsters. It is estimated that about 80% of lobster cages in the farming area were destroyed, resulting in initial economic losses of approximately 1.8 trillion VND.

In Lam Dong, heavy rainfall destroyed more than 4,500 hectares of vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, and other short-term crops. Concentrated production areas in Don Duong and Duc Trong reported thick layers of silt deposits, posing a risk of localized shortages in the vegetable supply chain for Ho Chi Minh City. Overall, the floods have damaged over 7,300 hectares of crops and thousands of livestock and poultry, submerging many homes. The estimated economic damage for Lam Dong province by the morning of November 23 was approximately 1.055 trillion VND.

In Khanh Hoa, durian farms in Khanh Son remained waterlogged for several days, raising the risk of mass root rot if drainage is not completed quickly. The entire province recorded 50 communes and wards with submerged crops, totaling 12,200 out of 86,600 hectares. Specifically, about 9,300 hectares of rice were submerged and are awaiting water recession for damage assessment.

For crops and root vegetables (approximately 1,300 hectares), the estimated loss is up to 260 billion VND, while other crops such as grapes, apples, and durian (about 1,600 hectares) incurred losses of around 80 billion VND. The livestock sector in 17 communes and wards also suffered losses of about 4 billion VND when livestock and poultry herds were swept away. Aquaculture (about 80 hectares of shrimp, grouper, and farmed snails, plus one high-tech shrimp farm) also lost about 4 billion VND. In addition, salt production suffered damage to over 146 hectares of salt fields, equivalent to 10.2 billion VND.

Estimated damage exceeds 9 trillion VND

Beyond destroying production, the floods have significantly altered the ecological environment in many farming areas. Parts of Hoa Thinh and Hoa My (Dak Lak) remain deeply flooded; mud, garbage, and livestock waste have created thick layers of sediment, severely impacting arable land. In the Krong Ana and Buon Don regions, many fields have become lakes, preventing farmers from clearing crop residue.

Water levels in major rivers remain high. The Krong Ana River at Giang Son is $0.25$ meters above Alarm Level 3, and the Serepok River at Ban Don is 4.13 meters above Alarm Level 3. Water levels in the Dinh, Ninh Hoa, and Dong Nai river systems are receding slowly but still exceed Alarm Level 1. This complicates and delays the drainage and field restoration efforts.

Transportation has been disrupted in numerous locations. Landslides have occurred at 19 spots across four national highways, with Khanh Hoa alone reporting 14 points on National Highway 27C. In Lam Dong, sections of the Mimosa and D’ran passes continue to suffer from landslides, isolating several areas. The North-South railway has only partially resumed operation, with the route between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City still blocked.

Over 258,000 people remain without electricity, with 162,025 people affected in Dak Lak alone. Some remote communes in Lam Dong and Gia Lai have lost connection to the specialized data network, hindering disaster response command.

Initial economic damage is estimated at over 9.035 trillion VND. Dak Lak accounts for 5.33 trillion VND, reflecting the immense damage to agriculture and infrastructure. This figure is expected to rise as local authorities continue to tally losses related to perennial crops, irrigation, and local transport networks.

Given the complex flood situation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an urgent meeting with the National Steering Committee for Civil Defense on the morning of November 23. The Prime Minister demanded that protecting human lives be the top priority, followed by the urgent restoration of transport, electricity, and telecommunications systems, and focused environmental remediation, especially in areas where animal carcasses have been washed up.

The Ministry of Finance has released 2,000 tons of emergency reserve rice for Dak Lak, 1,000 tons for Gia Lai, and 1,000 tons for Lam Dong. Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc signed a decision allocating 1.1 trillion VND to support the heavily damaged provinces, helping stabilize livelihoods and prepare for production recovery.

Dak Lak's leadership has directed localities to collect and destroy dead livestock and poultry urgently and to inspect dams and dredge blocked canals. Lam Dong is focusing on reviewing the safety of large reservoirs such as Dong Nai 3, Dong Nai 4, and Dai Ninh, and instructing farmers on how to manage the silt deposited on vegetable fields. Khanh Hoa is mobilizing forces to clear the national highways affected by landslides and temporarily reinforce vulnerable points.

Flood conditions remain complicated while remediation efforts are being urgently implemented. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority has requested that localities continue to focus on environmental management, assess agricultural damage, and prepare the necessary seeds, supplies, and resources for production recovery immediately after the water recedes, aiming to minimize the impact of the disaster on rural livelihoods and the environment.

The forecast indicates that from November 23 to 25, the Hue - Da Nang - Quang Ngai - Gia Lai area will continue to experience heavy rain, with some places seeing over 220mm. The risk of flooding and landslides is expected to continue. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority urges localities to closely monitor developments, proactively evacuate residents from dangerous areas, and fully prepare seeds, materials, and resources to quickly restore production once the water recedes, thereby minimizing the impact on the environment and rural livelihoods.

*1 USD = 26,364.00 VND (Source: Vietcombank)