Vietnam flood death toll rises to 37 as a new typhoon threatens to worsen devastation

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Rescuers and aid workers in central Vietnam raced to reach isolated area that were battered by floods and landslides, killing at least 37 people, as another typhoon was on track to make landfall later this week, officials said Monday.

Days of record rain that began in late October triggered flash floods and landslides that inundated villages, swept away homes and displaced tens of thousands.

Many neighborhoods remained without power or cut off from data networks, including in Danang. Canals, riverbanks and coastlines were also eroded, and several national highways were still blocked.

Meanwhile, Typhoon Kalmaegi is forecast to rapidly strengthen as it heads toward Vietnam’s central coast, with winds potentially reaching up to 166 kph (103 mph) when it enters the South China Sea on Wednesday, after crossing the Philippines, according to Vietnam's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Rescuers reached many stranded residents late last week as floodwaters briefly receded, but by Monday morning rivers were rising again. The Huong and Bo rivers in Hue City reached dangerous levels, and officials warned that heavy rain is expected to continue across the region, state media said.

State media said authorities sent food, clean water, medicine and shelter while helping families rebuild damaged homes. Teams worked to clean debris, restore power, water and transport links and prevent disease outbreaks. The government was also repairing irrigation systems and supporting farmers to restart crop and livestock production as floodwaters recede.

The death toll from the most recent floods and landslides rose to 37 on Monday, with five people missing and 78 injured, officials said.

Vietnam has been pummeled by a relentless series of storms this year, leaving little time to recover between disasters. Typhoon Ragasa dumped torrential rain in late September, then Typhoon Bualoi slammed the central coast and Typhoon Matmo resulted in flooding in the north.

Together, the three storms had left more than 85 people dead or missing in two weeks, and caused an estimated $1.36 billion in damage.

Vietnam is among the world’s most flood-prone countries, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas. Scientists warn that a warming climate is intensifying storms and rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods like this year’s increasingly destructive and frequent.

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Flooding submerges houses in Hoi An ancient town, Vietnam, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Phan Anh Dung/VNA via AP)

Military personnel deliver relief supplies to local residents isolated by flooding in Danang, Vietnam, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. (Nguyen Khoa Chuong/VNA via AP)

Local residents paddle a boat through a flooded street in Hue, Vietnam, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. (Mai Huyen Trang/VNA via AP)

Flooding submerges houses in Hoi An ancient town, Vietnam, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Phan Anh Dung/VNA via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)