By the afternoon, floodwaters had risen swiftly, inundating many central areas. Major streets like Bach Dang, Tran Phu, and Nguyen Thai Hoc were submerged, with some areas seeing water depths of nearly 3 meters.

The An Hoi neighborhood along the Hoai River was also heavily flooded. Homestays and hotels in the area rushed to move guests to the higher parts of the ancient town amid fears that water levels would continue to rise and power outages might occur.

Many accommodations organized boats to transport guests to safer zones. The evacuations were carried out swiftly to ensure safety.

“Fearing the flood would rise further and electricity might be cut, we quickly moved guests to higher ground,” said Mr. Thuong, a hotel staff member.

“I was really surprised at how quickly the floodwaters came up,” said Brian, a tourist from the UK. “This afternoon, our hotel staff put us on a boat to move to another hotel. It’s definitely a memorable experience in Hoi An.”

Some visitors hired boats to leave the flooded area, while others waded through waist-deep water to reach safety.

Boat operators used the opportunity to earn some income, as regular sightseeing services on the Hoai River were halted. “I’m paid about 200,000 VND (around $8.20) per trip. I’ve already made six trips today, so it’s a decent income during flood season,” shared Mr. Thanh, a resident of Hoi An Ward.

According to the Hoi An Ward People’s Committee, water levels in the next 12–24 hours are expected to exceed the third-level flood alert. Authorities have put up warning ropes in deeply flooded and low-lying areas. If flooding persists, the local rescue teams will consider evacuating residents to ensure safety.

Ha Nam