Natural disasters leave over 500 people dead and injured in first 9 months

Search and rescue officers are looking for victims buried by a landslide that collapsed seven houses early morning on October 12 in Hoa Binh Province. Photo: VnExpress

The Government said more than 4,000 houses collapsed or were swept away and 270,000 houses were damaged.

Heavy rain and floods submerged over 300,000 hectares of agricultural land and blew off part of dykes (120,000m) while 300,000 home animals and livestock died.

The Government estimated that total losses caused by natural disasters in the reviewed period amounted to nearly VND 26 trillion.

Most recently, 54 dead, 39 missing as downpours, flash floods pound Northern, and Central Viet Nam during the second week of October. It was one of the highest death tolls from flooding recorded in the country.

Hoa Binh Province has reported the highest death toll of 17 and 15 people missing, followed by Thanh Hoa (12 deaths and three missing), Nghe An (8 deaths), Yen Bai (4 deaths and 11 missing), and Son La (5 deaths and 3 missing)

According to Viet Nam Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, more than 17,000 households were evacuated./.

By Hoang Ha