Vietnam Flood Death Toll Rises To 75, As Heavy Rain Continues

More bodies found following the flash floods in Vietnam, raising the death toll to 72, while 33 remain missing, authorities said on Monday.

“Up to 700 millimetres of rain had fallen as the result of a tropical depression over the previous five days in central and northern Vietnam.

“It, however, stopped on Friday, but resumed Sunday night and is continuing through Monday.

“Thirteen of those killed in Hoa Binh province died early on Thursday when their houses were buried by a landslide while they were sleeping,’’ the committee for disaster prevention said.

The committee added that five people were still missing in that incident.

According to reports, almost 50,000 homes were still submerged across the centre and north of the country, while floods destroyed bridges and roads, isolating many areas, and several dams have burst.

Some 9,300 pigs, cows and buffalo have been killed, as well as nearly 300,000 poultry.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that more landslides could hit the country’s mountainous central and northern regions, as the land had absorbed too much water.

“More carnage is also expected as Vietnam braces for Tropical Storm Khanun, which is moving in from the South China Sea,’’ the centre said.

It added that it is expected to weaken to a tropical depression in the Gulf of Tonkin on Monday.

“Authorities have instructed 75,000 fishing boats with over 300,000 fishermen to dock at ports or move out of dangerous areas in the South China Sea,’’ the disaster prevention committee said.