114 dead, 21 missing in central Vietnam's floods, landslides

HANOI: Floods, landslides and other natural disasters triggered by downpours have left 114 people dead and 21 others missing in central Vietnam since early October, the country's Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said on Thursday.

The fatalities, up from 111 reported on Wednesday, were mainly reported in the provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam, according to Xinhua news agency, based on the committee's latest report.

As of 7:00 p.m. local time Wednesday, nearly 59,300 households with some 206,800 people in the localities of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri had been evacuated.

Around 46,800 houses in Ha Tinh and Quang Binh remained inundated, the committee said, adding that more than 691,100 cattle and poultry animals have been killed or swept away.

Further search and rescue, post-disaster recovery and relocation of people are underway, according to the committee.

Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade is providing essential goods to isolated areas while strictly monitoring commercial activities especially the prices of those goods, Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday.

Authorities under the ministry will direct the quick restoration of local markets to meet people's demand for goods in the affected areas, according to the report.

High risks of landslides and inundation may continue to threaten several areas in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue, said the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

--BERNAMA