Residents of Hoi An, Vietnam’s UNESCO-listed ancient town, began cleaning up on Saturday as floodwaters receded following days of torrential rain that brought deadly flooding and widespread destruction to the central region.

The deluge inundated Hoi An’s lantern-lined streets and centuries-old wooden houses, with locals saying they had never witnessed flooding of such magnitude before.

As the waters subsided, shopkeepers and residents worked to clear thick layers of mud from their premises, repair damaged furniture, and restore electricity in hopes of reopening soon to welcome tourists again.

“Everything was swept away by the floods, causing huge losses,” said Dang Quoc Dat, a 40-year-old restaurant owner.

“All that’s left is broken furniture that needs replacing but I’m determined to overcome this challenge together with other business owners in the town.”

Heavy rainfall this week triggered flash floods and landslides across central Vietnam, killing at least 29 people and leaving five missing, according to the country’s disaster management agency.

More than 22,000 homes remain under water, and nearly 100,000 residents are still without power, the agency reported.

Vietnam, which is frequently hit by deadly storms and flooding between June and October, has not yet released official estimates of the financial impact. Small business owners, however, say their losses amount to hundreds of millions of dong.

“We have to keep going, this is our livelihood. Giving up simply isn’t an option,” said Dao Thi Diu, a 38-year-old art shop owner.

Authorities have warned that heavy rain is expected to continue in central Vietnam, with some areas forecast to receive more than 700 millimetres, potentially pushing rivers to dangerous levels and causing further flooding.

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