HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Heavy rains have caused major flooding in central Vietnam, with rivers swelling and inundating homes and farmland, and submerging tourist destinations including the historic cities of Hue and Hoi An.

By late Monday, rainfall in the central city of Hue reached 1,085.8 millimeters (42 inches) within 24 hours, the highest volume ever recorded in Vietnam, according to the country’s meteorological department.

By Tuesday morning, water levels in Hue’s iconic Perfume River had risen to 4.62 meters (15 feet), while the UNESCO-listed former imperial capital and the ancient town of Hoi An experienced floods reaching waist-deep. Tourists were evacuated by boat on Monday from Hoi An’s ancient town after persistent rainfall and releases from hydroelectric dams caused water in th

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