Hanoi: Vietnam is urgently rethinking how it deals with floods and extreme weather, as climate change continues to fuel more powerful storms and heavy rainfall across the country.

Over the past month, intense floods have swept through central Vietnam, killing at least 40 people and displacing thousands. Landslides have destroyed homes, roads, and crops, while many rural villages remain isolated after days of rain. The ancient town of Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was left underwater, with residents wading through waist-deep floods to salvage what they could.

As another powerful system, Typhoon Kalmaegi, forms in the East Sea, authorities fear more destruction is on the way. Vietnam’s disaster management agencies have warned of continuing heavy rains and possible flash floods in central and northern regions.

The growing pattern of extreme weather has pushed the government to shift its approach from disaster response to long-term adaptation. Under a new national plan extending to 2030, Vietnam is investing more than six billion dollars to improve infrastructure and resilience. The plan includes upgrading drainage systems, creating flood basins, planting green spaces in cities, and relocating families living in landslide-prone areas.

Officials say the new focus is not just on repairing damage after each storm, but on designing cities and communities that can live with frequent flooding. In major urban centers like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, “sponge city” projects are being developed to help absorb rainfall and reduce runoff.

However, the challenge goes beyond urban areas. In the Mekong Delta, rising sea levels and sinking land threaten vast stretches of farmland that support millions of people. Experts warn that by the end of the century, half of the delta could lie below sea level if urgent measures are not taken.

For many Vietnamese, the struggle against nature has become part of daily life. Farmers, fishermen, and small business owners are learning to adapt, but recovery after each storm is becoming harder and costlier.

Vietnam’s new strategy reflects a growing understanding that climate change is no longer a distant threat  it is an immediate crisis that demands lasting solutions. As storms grow stronger and floods more frequent, the country’s resilience will depend on how quickly it can turn its plans into action.