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Record rains drive flooding in Vietnam, submerging ancient city
Heavy rains have triggered record-breaking floods in some parts of central Vietnam, especially in top tourism destinations Hue, a former imperial capital, and the ancient town of Hoi An.
On Tuesday, Vietnam’s disaster management agency recorded more than 1,000 millimetres (39.4 inches) of rainfall over a 24-hour period ending late on Monday in parts of Hue and Hoi An.
Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said the volume of rainfall in Hue marked the highest ever for a 24-hour period since the country started its record-keeping.
The newspaper VNExpress reported that water levels in the Huong and Bo rivers, which flow through Hue, reached 5.25m (17.2 ft) on Monday afternoon, shattering the previous historical high recorded in 2020.
As of Tuesday morning, water levels from both rivers have receded, but Hue remains submerged by more than one metre (3.3ft) of water.
Images showed a wide area of the ancient city, including the palace grounds, under murky waters.
Authorities in Hue were quoted by the state news agency Vietnam News as saying that the rain and flooding may last until Friday.
The area was designated a world heritage site in 1993 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The heavy rain also triggered a massive landslide of red mud on Tuesday morning about 3km (1.9 miles) long in coastal Quang Ngai province, leaving about 1,700 people isolated, authorities said.
As of Tuesday, more than 8,600 people in four central provinces were evacuated due to risks from severe flooding and landslides.
Heavy flooding has also forced the state-run Vietnam Railways Corp to suspend services between the capital Hanoi and the business hub Ho Chi Minh City.
The government said in a separate report that more than 306,000 households and businesses in Hue, Danang and Quang Tri provinces were suffering from blackouts.
Scientists warn that storms are becoming increasingly powerful as the planet warms due to human-induced climate change.
This month’s rainfall comes after Typhoon Bualoi battered the country in September, leaving at least 13 people dead and 20 others missing.
According to the General Statistics Office, natural disasters — mostly storms, floods and landslides — left 187 people dead or missing in the country in the first nine months of 2025, with total economic losses estimated at more than $610m.
[Aljazeera]
Building on its success in seizing major narcotic stocks in 2025, the Navy continued to support the “A Nation United” National Mission in 2026. In continuation of these efforts, during an
operation conducted on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy apprehended eleven (11) suspects aboard two local multi-day fishing trawlers suspected of drug smuggling.
Based on shared information, by the Sri Lanka Navy and Police, this special operation was conducted off the southern coast, deploying the Navy‟s Offshore Patrol Vessels. The operation
resulted in the interception of a multi-day fishing trawler suspected of smuggling narcotics, and the apprehension of five (05) suspects on board.
During further operations in the same area, naval units seized another multi-day fishing trawler (01), along with communication equipment and six (06) additional suspects, also believed to be involved in drug smuggling.
This morning (25 Jan 26), the two intercepted fishing trawlers, along with fourteen (14) sacks laden with suspected narcotics and the suspects, were brought to the Dikovita Fisheries Harbour.
An expert examination by the Police Narcotic Bureau confirmed that the fourteen (14) sacks contained more than 184 kilograms of heroin and over 112 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine).
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and the Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, inspected the narcotics at the Dikovita harbour.
The Deputy Minister of Defence said that the current administration has initiated several projects for national development. As a flagship initiative, under the directives and guidance of the President, and under the supervision of the
Ministry of Defence, well-coordinated anti-narcotic raids have been launched.
This effort, part of “A Nation United” National Mission, involves the tri-forces, police, and all intelligence agencies working together under a coordinated plan to ensure that drug smugglers have no opportunity to bring narcotics into the country, he opined. He further stated that despite the national disaster situation, the state machinery, including the tri-forces, the police, and the public at large, remains united in rebuilding the nation, no room will be left for drug trafficking, which poses a severe threat to national security and public safety. Those
who engage in or support drug trafficking, under the cover of fishing activities, will find no escape, he added.
The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed that the tri-forces, police, and all law enforcement agencies are fully committed to their duty of suppressing this menace.
The Deputy Minister of Defence reported that, throughout 2025, a series of highly successful operations were conducted leading to numerous arrests. This was achieved through close coordination and mutual cooperation among the tri-services, the police, the Special Task Force, Police Narcotics Bureau, local law enforcement and international agencies. He noted that this
same spirit of cooperation and commitment has continued into 2026, resulting in the seizure of a large stockpile of drugs.
On behalf of the Honourable President, he extended gratitude to all who contributed to these efforts, specifically acknowledging the Commander of the Navy, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Narcotic Bureau, and the crews of the Navy’s Offshore
Patrol Vessels.
Moreover, the Deputy Minister declared that drug smuggling has become a national crisis, fueled by youth involvement and social crime. With borders secured under the “Nation United” National Mission, he warned traffickers to cease operations and urged users to abandon the destructive habit.
The Deputy Minister urged the public to report suspected drug smugglers to law enforcement via the hotlines 1818 or 1997 and also commended the role of media institutions and journalists in raising public awareness about the dangers of narcotics through responsible reporting.
Meanwhile, the two (02) multi-day fishing trawlers, along with a haul of narcotics, eleven (11) suspects, and communication equipment, were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for
further investigation and legal proceedings.
Tanzania 131 in 38.3 overs (Acrey Pascal 55; Nihar Parmar 4-30, Nikhil Pol 3-23) lost to Japan 136/1 in 28.2 overs (Nihar Parmar 53*, Taylor Waugh 47) by nine wickets
[Cricbuzz]
New Zealand 135 in 36.2 overs (RS Ambrish 4-29, Henil Patel 3-23) lost to India 130/3 in 13.3 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 40, Ayush Mhatre 53) by 7 wickets [DLS Method]
[Cricbuzz]
Three arrested with narcotics valued at Rs123 million at BIA
Navy intercepts 02 narcotics-laden trawlers with 11 suspects in southern seas
Indonesian Naval Ship ‘KRI SULTAN ISKANDAR MUDA – 367’ departs island
U19 World Cup: Japan defeat Tanzania by nine wickets
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