Rising floodwaters continued to engulf large swathes of western Gia Lai Province on the morning of November 19, prompting authorities to accelerate the evacuation of thousands of residents from inundated or imminently threatened areas.
In Uar Commune, where water levels have climbed steadily overnight, Party Secretary Nay Quyen said the commune was in the process of relocating all 2,221 residents of Nu Village, which has been encircled by floodwaters. Evacuations began late on November 18, with priority given to households in low-lying zones. By early morning, rescue forces had moved about 500 people to safety. Local schools have been converted into temporary shelters, while communal kitchens run by the police and boarding schools are supplying hot meals. Flooding in Nu Village remains severe, with roughly 60 homes submerged as waters continue to rise.
Nearby, Ia Pa Commune also reported rapidly worsening conditions. Deputy Chairman of the Commune People’s Committee Vo Tan Cong said floodwaters surged sharply at dawn, inundating around 100 homes, some under a full meter of water. Authorities evacuated 50 households overnight and an additional 50 on the morning of November 19, bringing roughly 400 residents to safe zones. Rapid assessments are ongoing to identify households at immediate risk.
In Ia Hiao Commune, virtually the entire locality has been overtaken by floodwaters. Throughout the morning, senior commune officials fanned out across submerged hamlets to direct the relocation of belongings and coordinate traffic diversions. Party Secretary of Ia Hiao Commune Pham Van Phuong reported that approximately 1,000 homes had been inundated to varying depths. All preschool, primary, and lower-secondary students were instructed to stay home for safety. With water levels continuing to rise, the commune has activated phased emergency plans and is preparing for large-scale evacuation if conditions deteriorate further.
Heavy rains combined with upstream flooding have also overwhelmed downstream communities along the Ha Thanh and Con rivers in the eastern and southeastern parts of Gia Lai. Late on November 18, the Luat Le River dyke in Tuy Phuoc Commune (in what was formerly Dieu Tri Town) was overtopped, sending torrents of water cascading into residential areas and causing extensive flooding. Military units and police have been deployed to reinforce the dyke and assist affected households.
Speaking to SGGP reporters on November 19, Mr. Vu Ngoc An, Chief of the Office of the Provincial Civil Defense Steering Committee, said prolonged heavy rain and large volumes of runoff from upstream had inundated residential clusters in Quy Nhon Bac, Quy Nhon Dong, Tuy Phuoc, Tuy Phuoc Dong, and Tuy Phuoc Bac. The breach along the Luat Le dyke worsened conditions overnight, deepening flooding across multiple neighborhoods.
“Many roads are now under more than one meter of water, severely hindering rescue access,” Mr. Vu Ngoc An said. “Military and police forces have been mobilized at full capacity to assist residents in the downstream areas of the dyke.”
No fatalities have been reported so far, but Mr. Vu Ngoc An warned that the flooding is “extremely dangerous.” In Tuy Phuoc and Tuy Phuoc Dong communes, authorities have already carried out emergency evacuations of 1,000 households.
Provincial reports compiled at 7 a.m. on November 19 indicate widespread flooding across Gia Lai, with 8,355 households—comprising 35,926 residents—cut off or fully inundated. Several roads have been overtopped, and transport and utility infrastructure have sustained landslides and storm-related damage.
The situation is especially dire in Quy Nhon Bac Ward of Quy Nhon City, where floodwaters surged rapidly during the night, submerging all 16 residential quarters. Soldiers from the Provincial Military Command, provincial police officers, and local authorities waded through chest-deep water for hours, knocking on doors, carrying elderly residents on their backs, and guiding children to higher ground. Armored vehicles were deployed to transport evacuees after they were brought out of danger zones.
A ward official said flooding intensified dramatically as the Ha Thanh River overflowed, isolating several neighborhoods early on. “About 10,000 households have been affected,” he noted. “We have evacuated more than 3,000 households, and nearly 40 homes in the landslide-prone area near Hon Cha Mountain have also been moved out urgently.”
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung: Ensure adequate food supplies for flood-affected residents
While Central provinces grappled with rising waters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung led a central-government delegation to inspect heavily flooded districts in Khanh Hoa Province on the morning of November 19. The Deputy PM expressed concern after witnessing floodwaters continuing to climb in multiple communes, while some residents remained reluctant to leave hazardous areas.
He ordered local authorities to evacuate all residents from high-risk zones within the day, stressing that “protecting human life is the paramount priority.” He instructed agencies to deploy additional rescue boats, reinforce evacuation teams, and assume full responsibility for preventing casualties.
With forecasts indicating that heavy rain will persist, Military Region 5 has coordinated with provincial authorities to prepare comprehensive response plans, ensure food and medical supplies for isolated communities, and strictly follow Ministry of Agriculture and Environment regulations on reservoir operations, while closely monitoring evolving hydrological conditions.
