Vietnam’s Hue goes underwater again as torrential rain and upstream dam releases send rivers surging

Heavy rain and upstream hydropower releases sent floodwaters rushing into Hue on Nov. 17, submerging major streets and riverside neighborhoods under 0.3–0.5 m of water.

According to the city’s Irrigation and Climate Change Sub-department, Hue picked up 80–150 mm of rain in the past 24 hours. Mountainous areas were hit much harder: A Luoi 1–5, Binh Dien, Phu Loc and Phong Dien Ward saw 170–400 mm, while several hotspots recorded extraordinary totals: Ta Luong at 535 mm, A Luoi at 543 mm and Binh Dien at 544 mm.

River levels climbed sharply. At 9 a.m., the Huong River at Kim Long reached 2.76 m, 0.76 m above alarm level two. The Bo River at Phu Oc hit 4.93 m, topping alarm level three, the highest, by 0.43 m. With rainfall still intense, the Huong Dien plant on the upper Bo River and the Binh Dien and Ta Trach plants on the upper Huong River all released water downstream.

By morning, floodwater was flowing over Da Da Weir between the Huong and Nhu Y rivers. The walkway along the Nhu Y disappeared beneath more than half a meter of water, which also spilled into nearby homes. Streets lining the river: To Huu, Vu Thang and Phan Anh, were similarly inundated, slowing traffic to a crawl.

Residents scrambled to move vehicles to higher ground. Opening his door to find the street submerged, 45-year-old Nguyen Van Nhan of An Cuu Ward rushed his car to the Administrative Service Park, a high-elevation spot that has become a safe parking zone for residents of the Aranya, Xuan Phu and Vicoland apartment blocks during recent floods.

Downstream along the Bo River, inter-village roads in Quang Dien, Dan Dien and Hoa Chau flooded quickly as Huong Dien increased its release to more than 3,000 cubic meters per second. A section of National Highway 1 through Huong Tra was inundated, prompting traffic police to direct vehicles at the scene.

Quang Dien Commune chairman Nguyen Anh Cau said floodwaters surged in overnight, cutting access to Quang Tho and the former Quang An communes and flooding hundreds of riverside homes by around 0.5 m. Barricades and patrols were set up, and one resident who ignored the barriers was swept away before being pulled to safety.

Meteorologists expect the deluge to continue. Through Nov. 19, Hue is forecast to receive 150–300 mm of rain in the lowlands and up to 400 mm in some pockets. Mountainous areas may see 200–400 mm, with localized totals surpassing 500 mm.

The Bo River is projected to remain above alarm level three, while the Huong River hovers near alarm level three. Expected flooding could submerge parts of National Highway 1 in Phu Loc, the An Cuu and Thuan Hoa urban areas, and streets including Ngo Duc Ke, Thanh Giong and Phu Xuan by 0.3–0.5 m.

Hue has been battered by two major flood cycles in just over two weeks. During the Oct. 26–Nov. 3 event, the Bo River broke its 2020 record and the Huong River rose more than a meter above alarm level three, inundating 32 of the city’s 40 wards and communes by 1–3 m and disrupting schools, transport and daily life.

By Vo Thanh – VnExpress.net – November 17, 2025