Rescuers plucked stranded people from the rooftops of submerged homes as widespread flooding inundated central Vietnam, where authorities said on Thursday at least 16 people were killed.

Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October, and popular coastal holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding.

Whole city blocks were inundated in coastal Nha Trang, a popular tourist locale known for its pristine beaches, and hundreds of cars were underwater on Thursday, AFP photos showed.

Business owner Bui Quoc Vinh, 45, said he was safe in his 24th-floor apartment in Nha Trang but his restaurants and shops on the ground floor were under about a metre of water. His employees were even worse off.

"I am worried about our furniture in my restaurants and shops

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