Dozens of cars left near the Vinh Dien roundabout in Dien Ban Ward lay stalled on the morning of October 31, many badly damaged after being submerged for days.
Locals said motorists had parked there before the floods, believing the slightly higher ground near Vinh Dien Bridge would remain safe. However, the water rose far faster and higher than forecast, inundating the area.
Nguyen Van Hau, a resident of Dien Ban, said he left his car there on October 26 to avoid flooding near his home, about 3 km away. Later, he saw photos online showing vehicles floating. “When I arrived on October 31, my car was flooded inside and the headlights were dented,” he said.
Another local, Tran Van Nhan, described the floods as unprecedented. The water rose so quickly that many residents had no time to react. Some riverside communities along the Vinh Dien were submerged 2 to 3 metres deep, with water reaching rooftops.
On National Highway 1 in An Thang Ward, water had yet to fully drain, and drivers watched helplessly as vehicles stalled mid-flow.
Thick mud covered many roads through An Thang, while Tran Nhan Tong Street in Dien Ban narrowed to a single passable strip, the rest buried under a dense layer of sludge.
Residents said water levels surpassed even the historic 1964 flood. Hundreds of households near the Vinh Dien River evacuated overnight, many losing property and vehicles. Large piles of debris and rubbish now litter residential areas.
Nguyen Duy Hieu High School in Dien Ban was also blanketed in mud.
Stone benches were coated in silt, and river rubbish had washed straight into the campus. Staff said they could not clean the site quickly enough to welcome students back, and many were left distressed by the damage.
