HÀ NỘI -- Relentless floods across the central and Central Highlands regions of Việt Nam have caused exceptionally severe damage, leaving 102 people dead or missing and hundreds (up by 34 from the day before), with thousands of homes inundated or destroyed, according to disaster authorities.

A report from the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention, updated at 7am on Sunday, shows 90 confirmed fatalities and 12 people still unaccounted for, a significant increase compared to 24 hours - Saturday morning updates had the toll at 55 deaths and 13 missing.

Đắk Lắk Province has suffered the worst losses, with 63 deaths and eight missing. Khánh Hòa has reported 14 deaths and two missing, while Lâm Đồng has recorded five fatalities. Other localities with human losses from the floods include Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế, Đà Nẵng, and Gia Lai.

Heavy rain continues in several areas, as forecasters expect very heavy rain in Huế, Đà Nẵng and eastern Quảng Ngãi Province from November 23 to 25, with totals of 60 to 120mm and, in some areas, more than 250mm.

Rivers in Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa and the Đồng Nai basin are receding but remain high.

Flooding continues in parts of Đắk Lắk, where four communes and wards, including Hòa Xuân, Đông Hòa, Hòa Thịnh and Hòa Mỹ, remain underwater. Khánh Hòa still has 87 households in Diên Điền and Hòa Trí affected, and Lâm Đồng reports 127 inundated homes in Nam Đà and Cát Tiên.

Damage to housing is extensive. A total of 1,154 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, with Lâm Đồng accounting for 825 of them. Up to 185,733 homes had been flooded at the peak, including around 150,000 in Đắk Lắk, though updated figures have reduced this by 50,000 after verification.

Agriculture has taken a massive hit, with 80,825 hectares of rice and crops and 117,067 hectares of perennial plants ruined. More than 3.23 million livestock and poultry have died or been swept away. The aquaculture sector has lost 1,157 hectares of ponds and cages, mostly in Đắk Lắk and Khánh Hòa.

Transport networks remain fragmented. While National Highway 1 has reopened, 12 locations on other highways are still blocked by landslides or deep water. Six railway sections remain closed. Electricity outages have affected more than 1.17 million customers since the start of the disaster; around 258,000 still have no power. Telecommunications losses include 552 BTS stations offline.

Initial economic losses are estimated at VNĐ9.035 trillion (nearly US$343 million), roughly the same as the day before, though authorities expect the figure to rise as assessments continue when floods have eased.

Provinces are urgently requesting relief supplies. Gia Lai has asked for 2,000 tonnes of rice, 3,000 kg of Chloramine B and 100,000 Aquatabs tablets. Đắk Lắk is seeking 2,000 tonnes of food, large quantities of water-treatment chemicals, medical kits, 5,000 social assistance packages and support to restore agricultural production, including seeds, livestock and essential farm inputs. -- VNS