48 people were killed and 18 were missing after days of heavy rains in central Vietnam, authorities said Thursday.
The heaviest damage occurred in the provinces of Quang Binh, Nghe An and Ha Tinh, the National Steering Committee on Storm and Flood Control reported.
Floodwaters had begun to recede, but thousands were still stranded on the roofs of their submerged homes. Over 130,000 houses across some 140 communes are flooded, and electricity and water grids have been disrupted.
Some 41 fishing boats have reportedly sunk. Authorities have lost contact with 29 others, carrying a total crew of 204.
Initial estimates of damage in the province of Ha Tinh were put at 18 million dollars.
At least four trains on the north-south rail line were stuck at the city of Vinh in Nghe An due to flooded rails. Authorities expected rail service to resume on Friday.
An average of 500 millimetres of rain fell across central Vietnam from October 2 to 7.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, disasters related to the annual heavy rains and floods have killed an average of 750 people in each of the past 10 years, and incurred costs equivalent to 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product.
EARTHTIMES
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