Death toll rises to 36 in Vietnam's floods, landslides

Hanoi, Oct 14 (IANS) Floods and landslides triggered by heavy downpours have killed 36 people and left 12 others missing in central Vietnam over the past days, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said on Wednesday.

The death toll increased from 28 on Tuesday, with the victims mainly reported in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces, according to the committee's latest report.

Among the dead, 30 were swept away by floods, the committee said.

As of Tuesday night, over 135,700 houses were inundated, with 585 either collapsed or damaged, according to the report.

Meanwhile, 870 hectares of rice fields and more than 5,300 hectares of other croplands were submerged, said the committee, adding that some 332,350 cattle and poultry animals were killed or swept away.

Several key routes in Quang Binh, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri provinces had been congested due to flooding and landslides. Railway routes running through those areas have also been disrupted, the report said.

The committee urged local authorities to launch search and rescue, provide timely assistance for people affected, and ensure medical treatment for the victims, Xinhua news agency reported.

Between October 5 an 13, heavy downpours were witnessed in Vietnam's central and central highlands, with the accumulative rainfall surpassing 2,000 mm in some areas.

On Wednesday, Typhoon Nangka was expected to hit Vietnam's northern and north-central regions, bringing torrential rains and raising the risk of flooding in many areas, the committee said.

As of September 22, natural disasters had left 93 people dead or missing and 272 injured in Vietnam, according to the committee.

The disasters, mainly whirlwinds, floods, landslides and downpours, also caused economic losses of about 5 trillion Vietnamese dong (217.4 million US dollars) during the period, said the committee.

--IANS

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