Da Lat streets underwater after 30-minute rain

At around 1 p.m., widespread rain soaked the Central Highlands city in Lam Dong Province.

The rain lasted for over half an hour, putting streets like Nguyen Thi Nghia, Nguyen Trai, Phan Dinh Phung and Mac Dinh Chi under half a meter of water.

Several vehicles were damaged by the water. Houses in low-lying areas flooded as well.

“It’s been raining in Da Lat for the last couple of days, but this one was the heaviest,” said local resident Ba Long.

The Lam Dong Hydro-Meteorological Center said its Da Lat station recorded 60 mm of rain from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Flash floods, erosion and inundation may happen at areas near the upstream of Cam Ly or Me Linh rivers.

Nguyen Van Huan, head of the Central Highlands Region Hydro-Meteorological Center, said there would be high-intensity, short-lasting rains during this year’s El Nino period.

“The rain this noon in Da Lat had accumulated at a rate of 35-60 mm an hour, depending on the area. This is a remarkably high rain threshold within a short amount of time,” Huan said, adding that Central Highlands provinces would continue to see heavy rains over the next two days due to the impacts of a low-pressure area.

Da Lat, a popular tourist destination, has steep terrain with several hills and mountains. Due to high urbanization over the past few years, the city’s drainage system is struggling to remain adequate.