HCMC – Natural disasters have caused an estimated VND97 trillion in losses across Vietnam so far this year, with 409 people reported dead or missing.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said weather-related disasters in 2025 have been unusually severe, with widespread damage to lives, infrastructure, and the economy.
Hoang Duc Cuong, deputy director general of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, described 2025 as a year of highly abnormal hydrometeorological events nationwide. By the end of November, Vietnam had recorded 21 storms and tropical depressions in the East Sea, including 15 storms and six depressions — the highest number since records began in 1961. The previous record was set in 2017 with 20 systems.
Severe flooding also struck large parts of the country this year. Peak water levels on major rivers exceeded historic records in northern, central, and Central Highlands regions, as well as the downstream Mekong Delta.
One of the most serious events was the historic flood in former Phu Yen Province — now part of Dak Lak Province — which surpassed the record set in the 1993 Ba River basin flood.
Looking ahead, Cuong said, one to two more storms or tropical depressions may form in the East Sea in December. Cold air activity is expected to intensify, raising the likelihood of severe cold spells in northern Vietnam through the end of 2025.
