90 dead, 34 missing in central Vietnam’s floods, landslides

Since October 6, nearly 531,800 cattle and poultry have been killed or swept away.

Hanoi: Floods, landslides and other natural disasters triggered by downpours have left 90 people dead and 34 others missing in Vietnam’s central region over the past two weeks, the landslides said on Monday.

The fatalities were mainly reported in the provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam, according to the committee’s latest report.

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As of 6 a.m., local time Monday, around 37,500 households with 121,280 people in the localities of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue had been evacuated to safe areas. Some 121,700 houses were still inundated, the committee said.

Since October 6, nearly 531,800 cattle and poultry have been killed or swept away. Natural disasters, including floods and landslides, also caused the erosion and damage in several national highways and local roads, said the committee.

Schools in the central Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces have allowed students to stay home starting from Monday to ensure safety amid the complicated situations of natural disasters, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Heavy rains are expected in central localities until Wednesday, with rainfall expected to be over 600 mm in some areas, generating high risks of floods, flash floods and inundation, the committee’s report said.

During an urgent meeting held on Sunday, the committee issued a level-four alert, the second-highest level of warning, over the risks of natural disasters in central Vietnam.