ZCZC
BFF-20
VIETNAM-DISASTER
Natural disasters leave 9 dead, 11 missing in Vietnam
HANOI, Oct 11, 2020 (BSS/XINHUA) – Natural disasters, mainly downpours and floods, have left nine people dead and 11 others missing in central and central highlands Vietnam over the past few days, said the country’s Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control on Sunday.
The 20 people dead and missing were recorded in central cities of Da Nang and Hue, central provinces of Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and central highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak, according to the committee, adding that the disasters also left seven in central provinces of Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue injured.
Meanwhile, nearly 33,400 houses were damaged, 224 hectares of rice and roughly 2,400 hectares of crops were submerged, said the committee, noting that over 58,300 cattle and poultry were swept away due to the disasters.
A total of 206 communes and wards in five central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and central Da Nang city were submerged by 0.3 to 3 meters high floodwaters.
Between Tuesday and Friday, heavy downpours were witnessed in some central provinces including Thua Thien Hue, Quang Tri and Quang Nam with some areas having accumulative rainfall of over 1,000 mm.
From Jan. 1 to Sept. 22 this year, natural disasters have 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 U.S. dollars) during the period, said the committee.
BSS/XINHUA/SSS/1603 hrs