The province reported 63 deaths and 8 missing persons, accounting for over 69% of the 91 flood-related fatalities across the South Central Coast and Central Highlands. Most victims were elderly, had underlying health conditions, or were involved in accidents after evacuation, rather than being directly swept away by floodwaters.

The floods submerged 150,000 houses, representing 75% of all homes affected by floods in the entire region, with over 120 completely collapsing. Infrastructure damage is estimated at 800 billion VND, 10 health centers were inundated, the education sector suffered over 28 billion VND in losses, irrigation 500 billion VND, and agriculture approximately 1,500 billion VND. The total preliminary damage approaches 5,500 billion VND, out of a regional total exceeding 13,000 billion VND, accounting for 40,5% of the total damage.

Homes along the Ban Thach River in Dong Hoa Ward were deeply submerged. Photo: Tran Hoa

According to the Dak Lak Steering Committee for Civil Defense, the province activated a response plan one level higher than usual. This included evacuating tens of thousands of people to safety and operating inter-reservoir systems to lower water levels before the floods, significantly reducing the volume of floodwaters flowing downstream. Despite these efforts, damage remained extensive as all rivers in the area surpassed historical levels.

Prolonged heavy rain for 9 consecutive days across a wide area, combined with the short, steep terrain, led to rapid flood concentration. The flood peak coincided with high tides and strong easterly wind disturbances, impeding natural drainage to the sea, causing deep and prolonged inundation. Flooding on major rivers like Ba, Ky Lo, Ban Thach, and Serepok all surpassed historical alert levels, leading to widespread landslides and inundation, resulting in unavoidable damage.

Homes in Hoa Thinh Commune were damaged after the flood. Photo: Thanh Tung

The prolonged heavy rain in recent days caused Dak Lak and the former Phu Yen region's flood-prone areas to suffer a particularly severe flood event, with rainfall exceeding 1,200 mm in many places, and even over 1,800 mm within a few days. Low-lying communes like Hoa Thinh and Dong Hoa were submerged 3-5 m deep, leaving many residential areas isolated and houses flooded to their roofs. This area also bore the brunt of the historical flood's damage.

Tran Hoa