Hanoi, Oct. 8 -- A rapid succession of powerful storms, torrential rains, and flash floods has created what Vietnamese officials are calling a "compound disaster," causing widespread devastation and underscoring the urgent need for long-term climate resilience strategies.

Storms No. 9 (Ragasa) through No. 11 (Matmo) have pummeled Vietnam since late September. Typhoon No. 10 (Bualoi), with winds of up to 40km per hour over the East Sea, unleashed record rainfall and destructive gusts across central and northern provinces, compounding damage from earlier systems. In areas still recovering from storms No. 3 and No. 5, back-to-back tempests dumped as much as 600mm of rain, inundating regions from Thanh Hoa to Hue city.

Mai Van Khiem, Direct...