Torrential rain soaked Southeast Asia over the weekend. The death toll has climbed after heavy rainfall led to flash flooding and landslides along a nearly 500-mile stretch through the central portion of the country. Flooding has impacted close to 100,000 people in Nha Trang, Vietnam, alone.
"We've never experienced that much rain and such bad flooding," 45-year-old Pham Thu Huyen told The Associated Press (via ABC News). Huyen was part of a group of residents and visitors who volunteered to assist in cleanup efforts in Nha Trang. The town is one of Vietnam's most famous coastal cities, known for the turquoise water and beautiful beaches. Huyen and others were removing debris that washed onshore as a result of flooding.
At least 91 have been confirmed dead as a result of the weekend flooding in Southeast Asia, with 11 others still reported missing. An estimate of the damage caused by this round of flooding is around $500 million. A new tropical depression could bring more intense rain to Vietnam next week.
Weather attribution scientists will be looking at the potential link between our warming world and this deadly flooding event. "Human-caused climate change intensifies the heaviest downpours," say researchers with non-profit Climate Central. "Human-caused climate change intensifies the heaviest downpours."
"More than 70% of the planet's surface is water, and as the world warms, more water evaporates from oceans, lakes, and soils," researchers added. "Every 1 degree Fahrenheit rise also allows the atmosphere to hold 4% more water vapor. So when weather patterns lead to heavy rain, there is even more moisture available for stronger downpours, increasing the risk and severity of flooding."
Some of the same region dealing with this recent round of flooding was hit hard by three typhoons that struck between September and November. Typhoon Kalmaeigi whipped up fierce winds and dumped heavy rain in Nha Trang in early November. The storm's highest wind gust reached just over 130 miles per hour.
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Kalmaegi slammed into Vietnam as a Category 3 typhoon on Nov. 6, killing at least 188 people, making it Vietnam's deadliest disaster this year. A study done by the Imperial College of London concluded our overheating planet supercharged Kalmaegi's rainfall by 8.6% and wind speed by 3%.
"Vietnam is one of the world's most hazard-prone countries to climate change risks," according to the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO). "The country faces high natural disaster risk levels, fourth highest in the ASEAN+3 region and far above the world average."
AMRO monitors the regional economies of 10 Southeast Asian countries, as well as China, Japan, and South Korea, assessing their financial risks and vulnerabilities.
The U.S. Department of State has a similar assessment of Vietnam.
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"Vietnam is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change," according to the State Department. "Estimates suggest that Vietnam must make hundreds of billions of dollars in investment in adaptation and mitigation in the coming two decades to transition to clean energy and reduce its vulnerabilities. The World Bank has estimated that without concerted investment, climate change could cost Vietnam 12 to 14.5% of its GDP by 2050."
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