The Copernicus Emergency Management Service forecasts and monitors 3 consecutive extreme weather events for October in Vietnam

A series of devastating floods and tropical storms struck Vietnam in October, prompting the European Response Coordination Centre to activate the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) to monitor the situation. Media reported 90,000 displaced people and at least 100 casualties as a result of extreme flood conditions in October. During these events, CEMS was tasked to equip Vietnamese disaster response authorities with satellite imagery maps and geospatial information that showed the extent and impact of 3 weather-related disaster events.

Early Information on upcoming floods in central Vietnam

1 October   In early October, flood forecasts from the CEMS Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) provided an early indication of possible widespread flooding in central Vietnam caused by heavy precipitation. The subsequent flood forecasts in combination with local weather forecasts confirmed this trend, predicting a high chance of strong precipitation that resulted in localised urban floods in Ha Tinh, Dong Ha, Dong Hoi, Hue and Da Nang.

GloFAS forecast of 1 October 2020 predicting possible flooding in central Vietnam caused by heavy precipitation. Red shadings indicate the probabilities to exceed more than 300mm of rain in the next ten day. 

Extreme weather in central Vietnam impacts infrastructure, farmland, and lives

7 October   One month after Tropical Cyclone Noul hit the central region of Vietnam, the area was hit again with windstorms and heavy rainfall that flooded roads, crops and homes. CEMS Rappid Mapping was activated to detect the spatial extent of flooding over 11 areas of interest along the coast in central Vietnam. Through this activation (EMSR469), a total of 10 maps was produced based on radar satellite imagery acquired between 7 and 8 October.

Delineation map showing 3,945ha of flooded area in the area of Dong Ha (Copernicus EMS © 2020 EU) [EMSR472] Dong Ha: Delineation Product
All maps and vector data are available for viewing and download on the Copernicus EMS Website: https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSR469

Series of storms perpetuate flood conditions

12 October   After a dramatic series of consecutive typhoons hit the Vietnam central Coast, another storm caused heavy rainfall in central Vietnam. Strong precipitation resulted in localized urban floods in Dong Hoi, Dong Ha, Hue, Hoi Han, Quang NGAI. A maximum water height was forecast for 17 October. CEMS was tasked a second time for the region in October to detect the spatial extent of flooding. As part of the CEMS activation EMSR472, 5 areas of interest were considered, including over the city of Hue. In total 11 products, including 19 maps, were produced and delivered to the national authorities. 

Delineation map showing 22,557ha of flooded area in the area of Hue (Copernicus EMS © 2020 EU) [EMSR472] Hue: Delineation Monitoring 02 Product (detail map)
All maps and vector data are available for viewing and download on the Copernicus EMS Website: https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSR472

Cyclone MOLAVE brings storm surge

28 October   Tropical Cyclone MOLAVE caused a new wave of heavy rain, strong wind and storm surge in central Vietnam. The cyclone made landfall on 28 October and CEMS was activated the day before to start tasking satellite imagery. The radar images, acquired between 28 and 30 October over 10 areas of interest, were analysed to detect the spatial extent of the flooding. The areas of interest are located in the same region as the ones in the activation EMSR469.

Delineation map showing 1,846ha of flooded area in the area of Ha Tinh (Copernicus EMS © 2020 EU) [EMSR475] Ha Tinh: Delineation
All maps and vector data are available for viewing and download on the Copernicus EMS Website: https://emergency.copernicus.eu/mapping/list-of-components/EMSR475