On the afternoon of 21/11, traffic police of Khanh Hoa province established a checkpoint in Cong Hai commune (formerly Ninh Thuan province), temporarily closing National Highway 1 in the southbound to northbound direction. This measure was implemented due to traffic congestion in a flooded area bordering Phu Yen. Hundreds of cars, trucks, and passenger buses were forced to stop and wait.

A representative from the Khanh Hoa Traffic Police Department stated that several sections of National Highway 1 in the province were deeply flooded by rising waters, making them unsafe. Consequently, traffic from the south was temporarily restricted. Personnel were regularly stationed at the checkpoint, coordinating with local authorities to provide meals for stranded drivers and passengers.

Traffic jam caused by the temporary closure of National Highway 1 in the southbound to northbound direction through Cong Hai commune. *Photo: Traffic Police*

On the same day, on the Cam Lam - Vinh Hao expressway, vehicles traveling from Phan Thiet towards Nha Trang were instructed to exit at the Phan Rang interchange and turn onto National Highway 1 (towards the former Ninh Thuan province) to bypass flooded areas in Khanh Hoa.

Earlier that morning, many vehicles traveling southbound to northbound on National Highway 1 were forced to stop at the entrance to Deo Ca pass due to heavy flooding in Phu Yen, causing traffic congestion stretching for kilometers. Traffic police from Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak provinces coordinated to regulate traffic, preventing too many vehicles from accumulating at one point.

Heavy rains over the past few days have triggered landslides, cutting off railway lines and several national highways across Khanh Hoa, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Lam Dong. Debris covered National Highway 1 and some inter-district routes, stranding thousands of vehicles. The North-South railway line through the Central Highlands experienced erosion of its track foundation, forcing many trains to stop or cancel services. In Lam Dong, National Highway 20, Mimosa pass, and Prenn pass experienced continuous landslides, with some sections of the road surface completely torn apart, leading to full closures. Authorities are currently opening temporary routes and mobilizing machinery for repairs to reopen the affected routes as soon as possible.

Khai Nguyen