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Hue and Hoi An, two of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, are hit by heavy flooding

In a report released on Tuesday, the Vietnamese government reported that heavy rains in the past few days caused flooding throughout central Vietnam, including in the top tourist destinations of Hue and Hoi An.

According to the disaster management agency of the Vietnamese government, rain fell in many parts of Hue (the former imperial city listed by UNESCO) and Hoi An (the ancient town), in the 24 hours ending late Monday.

Vietnam is susceptible to violent storms, which can be deadly. Flooding and storms are also common in Vietnam. This causes widespread damage to property.

Images circulated on state media showing that Hoi An had been inundated with floodwater, and several houses were submerged to the roofs. Authorities deployed boats to evacuate tourists.

According to the report of the agency, flood waters of up to 1-2 meters deep had hit 32 of Hue's 40 communes. According to the government, flood levels in Hue are at record highs.

Authorities in central Vietnam have evacuated thousands of people who were trapped by flooding and without power or transportation.

According to reports in the media, heavy flooding has also forced the state-run Vietnam Railways Corp. to suspend service between the capital Hanoi (Hanoi) and the business hub Ho Chi Minh City.

In a separate government report, the government stated that over 306,000 households and business in Hue and Quang Tri Provinces suffered from blackouts.

The weather agency of the Vietnamese government said that the water levels in central Vietnam's main rivers were at their highest point and heavy flooding was expected to continue in the coming days. Landslides would also be a risk, it added.

According to official statistics, natural disasters in Vietnam caused property damages worth $611 million and killed 187 people in the first nine month of this year.

(source: Reuters)