Vietnam death toll rises to 55 from floods, landslides

The number of people who lost their lives due to heavy rain, floods and landslides in central Vietnam increased to 55, and 13 people were reported missing.

Last week, rainfall exceeded 1,900 millimeters in some parts of central Vietnam. The region is a major coffee-producing belt and home to popular beaches, but is also prone to storms and floods.

The country’s disaster agency said almost half of the deaths were in Dak Lak province, where 27 people died, while 14 people died in Khanh Hoa province.

The government estimates the floods cost the economy about 8.98 trillion dong (A$528 million).

Vietnam’s disaster agency said more than 235,000 homes were flooded and nearly 80,000 hectares of crops were damaged.