On the afternoon of 24/11, dozens of flood-damaged cars, caked in mud after days of heavy rain, arrived at repair shops along 23 Thang 10 street. These establishments mobilized additional staff to return vehicles to customers promptly.

The prolonged heavy rainfall caused severe flooding, with many areas in Khanh Hoa, including Nha Trang, Dien Khanh, and Ninh Hoa, submerged under 1 to 3 meters of water. Beyond substantial economic losses, numerous vehicles submerged and sustained damage. Initial estimates indicate the natural disaster caused over 5,000 billion dong in damages to the province.

Mud coated the interiors and engines of the cars, emitting a strong musty odor. Disassembling and cleaning these components required considerable time.

Trung, manager of an auto repair shop on 23 Thang 10 street, stated that his shop received over 15 flood-damaged vehicles in the past two days. Repairs faced delays due to a shortage of spare parts, necessitating orders from TP HCM.

According to Trung, many cars suffered damage to their electrical systems and engines. Owners could face repair and replacement costs ranging from 50 to 100 million dong.

Hundreds of damaged cars lined 23 Thang 10 street, awaiting repairs. Van Ngoc, a resident of Tay Nha Trang ward, mentioned that his car, valued at nearly one billion dong, was inspected by dealership staff this morning and would be towed to a workshop.

"They couldn't give me a return date because all shops are overloaded and lack parts; I might not get my car back until after Tet," Ngoc said.

Tow trucks and vehicle transport services were also operating at full capacity. The cost of towing a car to a garage varied by distance, typically several million dong, while motorbikes cost from 500,000 to one million dong.

By evening, many repair shops in Tay Nha Trang ward were operating at full capacity as the number of vehicles brought in continued to increase.

Thach, a repair shop owner, stated that he received 20 vehicles for repair today, more than his team could handle. At times, he had to limit new intake to complete previously brought-in repairs.

Approximately 500 meters from Thach's shop, Ngoc Tan's garage still had dozens of motorbikes awaiting service by 20h. He explained that many vehicles lacked replacement parts, requiring customers to wait another two to three days.

"We are maintaining our prices and trying to reduce costs to support each other during this difficult time," Tan said.

Throughout the night, Tan's employees performed tasks such as engine repairs, tire replacements, and component cleaning. Shop staff worked overtime until 2-3h to ensure timely vehicle deliveries.

During the day, Tan's shop repaired over 20 vehicles for residents. Many cars were thoroughly cleaned before being handed over at night.

Even past 20h, customers continued to arrive for repairs. Tuan had to turn them away, asking them to return tomorrow due to the overwhelming number of damaged vehicles awaiting service.

Bui Toan