Central Vietnam Flood Alert: Hue, Da Nang and Now Dong Nai (Updated Sept 24)

This Central Vietnam flood alert covers heavy rain forecast across the central coast from September 21 through 23, with Hue, Da Nang and eastern Quang Ngai facing 90-170mm of rain and locally over 300mm in the heaviest spots. A separate high-risk flash-flood and landslide alert is in effect for the hilly parts of Quang Tri and Hue City, and rain is expected to push south into Dak Lak and Lam Dong by September 24 before the system eases.

What’s Happening

The current system built through the second half of September, with Nghe An’s Vinh city recording 399mm of rain and Ha Tinh and Quang Tri also hit hard enough to reach “purple,” the highest flash-flood and landslide alert level, in multiple areas. Vietnam’s hydro-meteorological agency followed on September 20 with a specific high-risk warning for Quang Tri and Hue City, urging people in mountainous and hilly areas to evacuate if they notice cracks or shifting ground on slopes near their homes. The heaviest rain for Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai is forecast for September 21-22, with the system then tracking south toward the Central Highlands and southern provinces through September 24.

Why This Matters for Visitors

Hue and Da Nang are two of central Vietnam’s busiest tourist stops, and both sit squarely in the forecast rain band behind this Central Vietnam flood alert for the next few days. Low-lying parts of both cities can see urban flooding during sustained heavy rain, and the flash-flood/landslide risk is concentrated in the surrounding hill country — the kind of terrain that feeds day trips to waterfalls, hill stations and back roads around Hue. This follows a run of wet-season disruptions in the region this month, including flooding around Ninh Binh and a landslide alert near Tam Dao in the north.

Update, September 24: Rain Pushes South, Real Flooding Reported in Dong Nai

As forecast, the rain band has tracked south into the Central Highlands and southern provinces. Vietnamese state media reported river levels rising past alert thresholds on September 22, with the Dong Nai River at Ta Lai station just above Alert Level 2 and the La Nga River at Ta Pao station above Alert Level 1, with authorities warning of flooding in low-lying riverside areas and flash-flood/landslide risk in the Central Highlands through the September 22-24 peak. Vietnamese outlets also reported street flooding overnight in Dong Nai, with residents moving belongings and vehicles to higher ground. Dong Nai isn’t a major stop on most Vietnam itineraries, but travelers routing overland between Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands or Da Lat should check road conditions before departing, since this is the same system that hit Hue and Da Nang earlier in the week.

What Travelers Should Do

If you’re in or heading to Hue or Da Nang through September 23, build slack into your plans: check road and tour conditions before driving into hill areas around Hue, avoid parking or walking through low-lying streets during heavy downpours, and keep an eye on local forecasts since the rain band is expected to shift rather than sit still. Conditions are forecast to ease from around September 24, but that’s a forecast, not a guarantee — treat it as the earliest point to expect normal conditions to return. This is the latest in a run of wet-season disruptions across the country this month, following a flood alert further north around Ninh Binh and a rockfall on Da Lat’s Prenn Pass. For the latest official forecast detail, see VietnamPlus’s rain forecast coverage.