The central Vietnamese city of Hue recorded more than a metre of rain in a 24-hour period, smashing a national record set over two decades ago, the environment ministry said Tuesday.

From 7:00 pm Sunday to 7:00 pm Monday in Hue, three measuring stations recorded rain of 1.7 metres (five feet seven inches), 1.1 metres and over 1.0 metre, the ministry said in a statement.

The previous 24-hour rain record was 0.99 metres, set in Hue in 1999, it added.

Heavy rainfall has inundated Vietnam's central coastal region since the weekend, closing schools and dumping rain on the former imperial city of Hue, a UNESCO world heritage site.

More than 8,600 people in four central provinces were evacuated to schools and other public buildings since Saturday due to risks from severe flooding and landslid

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