Railway workers repair a section which is damaged by Storm Kalmaegi in Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces in early November.
Heavy rain from about 3.30 pm caused more than 100 metres of railway to flood, with water rising 0.25 metres above the rails in one section and soil and rocks washing over the track in another.
The incident halted trains SE6 and SE22 from Sai Gon at Cam Thinh Dong and Ka Rom stations, while SE21 from Danang had to wait at Nha Trang Station. Train STN1 leaving Nha Trang was stopped at Cay Cay station until water levels receded.
According to Nha Trang Rail Transport Branch, about 800 passengers remained on the affected trains and were provided with food and water during the suspension.
Although floodwaters began to recede in the evening, railway engineers must inspect the track before services can resume.
By the afternoon of November 16, heavy rainfall had also flooded streets in Bac Cam Ranh Ward by 20 to 30 centimetres, making traffic difficult. Mountain communes reported landslides and fallen trees.
Heavy rainfall floods many streets in Bac Cam Ranh Ward by 20 to 30 centimetres on November 16.
The Khanh Hoa Hydro-Meteorological Station forecast moderate to very heavy rain from November 16 to 18, with totals of 80 to 150 millimetres, and 100 to 200 millimetres in mountain areas, with some places exceeding 250 millimetres. Localised downpours of more than 80 millimetres in three hours were also warned.
Earlier, on November 6, Storm Kalmaegi made landfall in Gia Lai and Dak Lak, bringing widespread heavy rain and sending floodwaters downstream.
A 50 metre stretch of railway was washed out to a depth of 9 metres in Xuan Lanh Commune, paralysing the North-South line through Dak Lak. Passengers had to travel by shuttle bus between Tuy Hoa Station (Dak Lak) and Dieu Tri Station (Gia Lai).
The railway sector took five days to complete a temporary bridge to restore operations on the North-South route.